


OOPack

by swimbfly



Category: James Bond (Craig movies), James Bond - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Shapeshifters, Asexual Character, Badass Q, F/M, Female Q, M/M, Pre-Skyfall, R is Q from Craig movies
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-29
Updated: 2017-03-16
Packaged: 2018-06-05 08:03:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 36,374
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6696637
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/swimbfly/pseuds/swimbfly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When you have a world full of shapeshifters, drama tends to ensue, add in the world of international espionage and you have a powder keg waiting to explode.  With Q hiding something what is going to happen to MI6 as the shit starts to hit the fan around her?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I have this planned out for a rather long story and the first two chapters written, I just haven't had the drive to finally work on this and finish this. I'm kinda hoping hearing from all of you can tell me whether this is worth finishing.

#  Chapter 1

 

“OO7 will you please get back on target.  It appears that your mark is getting away.”  The dry female voice in his ear piped up as he ducked under the most recent barrage of bullets.

 

“You know you did send two agents on this mission.”  The blond snarled back.

 

“Yes but your counterpart is currently a wolf and unable to give me any of your ‘wonderful’ feedback.”  The voice replied.  “So Bond will you please get on with the hunt, some of us would actually like to go home sometime tonight.”

 

The blond sighed and started running down the street, ducking out of the way of the gunfire.  With two shots, he had one less threat and a ride.  He jumped onto the motorcycle and tore off down the road.  

 

“Your mark is about a mile ahead of you in the grey Jeep.  OO6 is about half way between you and them doing his best to keep up.  Do pick him up will you?”

 

“Yes Q, I will pick up Alec.  Anything else hunny?” the agent replied his eyes ahead.

 

“Please keep the flirting for your packmate Agent Bond.  I would be content if you, OO6, and your gear returns to me with the mission completed mostly intact.”  Q’s voice replied.  “Mostly my gear, it’ll be a nice change”

 

“You know how to make a wolf feel loved, kitten.”

 

“Be careful Bond, this ‘kitten’ will bring you home on a cargo plane, which will be redirected to Antarctica first if you keep this up.”

 

Bond smiled and noticed the dark wolf running ahead of him.  It looked back for one second before jumping onto the nearest tree stump and leaping onto the back of the motorcycle, shifting midair.

“Thanks for the ride,” he replied as he settled behind Bond.

 

“Welcome to the party Trevelyan.”  Q’s voice responded.  “Now I don’t suppose that you two can deal with your mark already?”

 

“Give us five minutes.”  Bond replied.

 

“I’ll start the countdown.”  Q drawled sarcasm dripping from every word.

 

“What has your tail in a knot?”

 

“Double O’s who fail to complete a mission without having to blow something up.”

 

Just as that sentence finished there was another explosion behind them rocking the forest slightly.

 

“Point proven.”

 

Alec and Bond both chuckled slightly at that but they were quickly closing on their mark, an arms dealer that happened to like the money of terrorists so a response was going to have to wait.  Bodyguards in the Jeep ahead were firing on the two agents forcing them to take evasive maneuvers to avoid.  Alec returns fire killing two of them with relative ease, leaving the driver and the target.  The driver kept looking back fear filling the air, as he stared down two wolves heading straight for him.  The mark on the other hand was doing his best to hide within the car only moving out of his cover for seconds at a time to return fire.

 

“This is getting rather old, wouldn’t you say?”  Alec asked.

 

“I completely agree, perhaps we should end this with a bang.”  Bond replied an evil smile appearing on his face to match his companions.

 

Seconds later a grenade went soaring over the head of the driver landing in the front seat of the Jeep.  The motorcycle quickly spun around and started heading in the opposite direction as mere moments later the Jeep along with its companions became a giant fireball.

 

“How was our time Q?”  Alec asked a smile in his voice.

 

“4 minutes and 30 seconds OO6.  Cutting it rather close for you.”  Her voice replied over the comms.  “Head to the airport, there will be a transport waiting for you.  Don’t worry you won’t be transported to Antarctica.  I’m handing over the comms; I’ll see you when you are back.  Q out.”

 

“That was short.  Even for Q.”  James commented as they rode off.

 

“What did you do to piss her off?”  Alec asked.

 

“Nothing, what did you do?”

 

“Nothing.”

 

OO7*OO6*OO10*OO7*OO6*OO10*OO7*OO6*OO10*OO7*OO6*OO10*OO7*OO6*OO10*

 

“Q?  You there?”  Alec asked as they pulled up the airport.

 

“Sorry OO6, Q is unavailable right now, you and OO7 are just going to have to deal with me instead.”  R’s calm voice came over the comms.

 

“Where’s Q?”  Bond demanded.

 

“She is unavailable OO7; you will just have to deal with me.”  R responded his voice taking on an annoyed edge.  “Need I remind you that I can do more damage before my first cup of tea than you two do in a year in the field?  Somehow I think I can manage to get you both back safe.”

 

“Is Q okay?”  Alec asked, shooting Bond a quick look, hoping not to be stuck next to a screaming child their whole flight back.

 

“Q can take care of herself OO6,” R responded dryly.  “Now let’s get you two, home before we have another international incident.  There is a storm coming up the Atlantic so you’re going to be redirected to Toronto for a short layover to avoid the storm.  If you land before the storm you’ll only be there for a moment and you should be on your way home, if not you’ll be stuck there until this damn storm passes.”

 

“You’re kidding me?”  Alec responded.  James just was sighed hoping to get back sooner rather than later ideally to check on his wayward Quartermaster and he knew Alec agreed if the annoyed look on his face was any indication.

 

“Not even Q Branch can control the weather OO6,” came the dry reply.

 

“Not that you haven’t tried,” Bond replied a smirk playing on his face.

 

“I’m not going to even deny that one, do you think that you two could find something to keep you occupied if you end up being stranded in Canada for a little while.”

 

“I’m sure we can come up with something,” James said smiling at his partner.

 

“Oh, no OO7, I know that tone.  No explosions.  No international incidents.  No getting arrested.”  R said a little fear showing in his voice, “Q is not here to deal with your bullshit and I don’t have near her patience with you two.  Don’t you dare cause me half the problems that you cause her just because you two get bored.”

 

That sobered them rather quickly, as much as Q would kill them probably slowly if she knew; the two Double O’s had a major soft spot for the first female Quartermaster.  They even have been actually remembering to bring back their gear sometimes because it made her smile.  They also were super overprotective of her, much to her displeasure and Q Branch’s humor.

 

“I don’t suppose you could tell us what is wrong with Q?  Just to keep us calmer, better to maintain the whole no explosions deal.”  James asked, his voice changing to the one that he used to trick information out of various targets.

 

“OO7, I’m afraid only your packmate and your targets fall for that tone.”

 

“R just tell us if Q is ok?”  Alec responded reaching out and putting his hand on Bond’s arm.

 

“Your flight information has been sent to your phones and you shouldn’t need any more assistance from Q Branch so I’m shutting down the comms, we’ll see you when you get back OO7 and OO6.”  With that, the little voice in their ears was replaced with static and then silence.

The Double Os exchanged a look, a mix of horror and worry.  Q was easily the most important person in MI-6, even M agreed behind closed doors to that ranking.  The fact that they can’t get any information about the state about their esteemed Quartermaster had them seriously hoping that they weren’t going to be delayed by the dammed storm.

 

OO7*OO6*OO10*OO7*OO6*OO10*OO7*OO6*OO10*OO7*OO6*OO10*OO7*OO6*OO10*

 

Of course, they have absolutely amazing luck and all flights are grounded when they reach Toronto.  And not only delayed for a few hours, no they are going to be grounded for at least twelve hours if not over a day.

So that left two worried, bored agents trapped in an airport with tons of civilians.  Not a recipe for success in anyone’s mind.  The two agents took turns sleeping in their chair, which was enough to take the edge off the exhaustion gripping their minds, but sleep wasn’t coming easily.  Both had been woken with a start from various nightmares as they waited.  The only thing that kept them from causing a fuss was the fact that the other stood guard as the other slept.  Alec stared at James as he woke from his turn with a start.  He wanted nothing more than to comfort his packmate and he would have given his gun for a chance to shift but he knew that this wasn’t a possibility here.

James could see even as he shook off the last vestiges of his nightmare that his packmate was starting to get tense, something about too many people, too small of an area (even if it is a large airport), being stuck as a human, and the worry over Q.  Okay just sitting here is only going to drive them crazy.  James thought with a nod.

 

“Come on” he said standing and holding out his hand.

 

“Where are we going?”  Alec asked standing slowly raising an eyebrow at the blonde.

 

“Wandering,” came Bond’s response.

 

“Are you that bored?”  Alec said following.

 

“It’s either this or I continue to obsess over the fact that Q is somewhere away from MI-6 and whatever she is doing is above our clearance levels.”

 

Alec swore under his breath in Russian at first but then in a number of other languages.

 

“Forgot about that did you?”  James said dryly understanding all of the curses flowing from his partner’s lips.

 

“More like trying not to think about it.”  Alec said sighing running his hand through his short hair.  

 

“Let’s just say my other side is furious about us not being able to protect her.”

 

“So we’re in agreement then.  We should be there to protect her.”  James responded, his eyes searching the area around them.

 

“What could she possibly be doing that’s above  **our** clearance?”

 

“Nothing good that’s for sure.”

 

Alec just shook his head and continued to look around as they wandered.  Around them there were people scattered over various uncomfortable chairs, some awake many asleep it was rather early at this point.  About half of those that were awake were huddled around the charging stations along the walls all-trying to keep their precious tech alive.  A handful of people had switched into rather harmless animal forms trying to be comfortable enough to sleep, but he couldn’t imagine shifting in front of this many people.  Not to mention most of them were already tense due to the storm and there suddenly being a pair of predators would not go over well.  Just because a quarter of the world could, shape shift didn’t mean that people stayed calm whenever someone did.

He could smell food and coffee being started as they neared the section of the airport that was filled with shops.  He paused slightly sniffing the air, that scent was familiar.

 

“James, you smell that?”

 

“Yes Alec, its coffee.”

 

“No it’s a specific brand of coffee, Q’s brand; the one that she threatens people with paperwork for days if they touch.”

 

James checked again, “yes, yes it is.  Let’s see where it’s coming from.”

 

Following a scent even in a busy airport is not something all that difficult for a pair of wolves and they soon found themselves in front of a coffee shop called Tim Horton’s.  It had just opened and there already was a line of people waiting to get their breakfast.  The two wolves merely waited outside, while James pulled up the information on the store on his phone.

 

“Apparently it’s a Canadian chain, but is still found in some of the border states of the US and is rather popular.  How is our Quartermaster in Britain addicted to a Canadian coffee brand?”  James asked slightly confused.

 

“I have no idea but I’m bringing her back some coffee.”  Alec said with a small smile as he got in line James following.

 

“What we might as well get breakfast too while we’re here.”

 

Alec just shook his head smiling at the other wolf.  While James read the menu, Alec stared at the size coffee sitting in front of him, looking between that and his carryon sitting next to his feet.  He frowned slightly but ended up grabbing the largest container of Q’s brand.  James reached by and grabbed a slightly smaller container of the vanilla.  They couldn’t protect her right now but they could take care of her when they got back.

 

“If you two are planning on spoiling our boss with gifts from Canada, might I suggest maple sugar candy?”  R’s voice piped up, only years of training kept the wolves from jumping.  “I know it’s a treat that she used to love but never gets anymore.”

 

James and Alec both looked up and upon finding the nearest camera sent it a scowl but they also nodded only the slightest degree proving that the message was received.

 

“Your flight is going to be the first one boarding, and you should be boarding within the next two hours, so enjoy your breakfasts and we’ll see you when you get back boys.”

 

OO7*OO6*OO10*OO7*OO6*OO10*OO7*OO6*OO10*OO7*OO6*OO10*OO7*OO6*OO10*

 

James’ shoes made barely any sound as he hurried down the halls of MI-6, Alec’s claws making only the barest clicking noise as he went ahead heading for Q branch.  Other than, a message telling them that there was a car waiting for them at the airport they hadn’t heard anything since they left Canada.  The doors flew open in front of them, the various minions of Q-Branch instinctively flinching out of the way of two worried Double Os.  About half were mundanes, humans that couldn’t shape shift, the rest being shifters but most of them were animals whose instincts were to flight over fight; either way it resulted in some of them tripping over themselves to get out of the way.  R was standing at Q’s spot, his cardigan and dress shirt more rumbled than usual, his normally curly black hair sticking up at all angles around his face, dark circles under his eyes, tablet in one hand, mug in his other; all in all creating the look of a college student after an all nighter, not one of the most dangerous persons in Q-Branch.

 

“Where is she?”  James barely suppressing his growl with his wolf barely under the surface, some of the minions closer flinched back.  Alec standing stiff legged by his side growled at the younger man.

 

“Try looking behind you OO7,” a dry worn voice spoke behind him.

 

There standing at the door to Q-Branch was Q.  Her short brown hair sweat slicked, a bruise appearing under one eye, her one sleeve torn revealing a wound that appeared hastily covered, her clothes dusty and damaged, and as she walked toward the others James could see that she was walking very cautiously like she was attempting to hide her injuries from those in the room.

Alec turned and took a step forward whining.  James’ head jerking down, Alec doesn’t whine, not unless James was injured and not taking care of himself, then he would use it to guilt trip the other agent.  When James returned his attention back to the woman walking toward him the air in the room shifted carrying with it her scent.  In his human form, his scent of smell was dulled compared to his wolf form but still much better than that of a normal human.  Instead of her normal smell of vanilla lotion and something vaguely feline, her assumed animal form, she smelled of fire, fear, and death.  In other words, she smelled like a Double O.

 

Alec apparently had made a similar conclusion as he shifted back.

 

“Who hurt you?”  He growled stepping forward to steady her if needed.

 

“No one who is still breathing.”  Q replied shortly.

 

“You smell like death, blood, gunpowder, fire, adrenaline, and fear.  Who hurt you?”  Alec growled this time taking her arm to support her weight slightly.

 

Q tried to shrug him off but only found James on her other side poised to do the same.  “It’s none of your business OO6,” she growled, “I’m glad to see that you and OO7 have made it back safe now will you please turn in your gear and go debrief already.”

 

They both turned and quickly dumped their gear in no semblance of order onto the table in front of R.  They then turned back to Q.  Alec’s arms crossed over his chest, his eyes turning wolf gold as he stared down the Quartermaster.  James wasn’t all that different, the tension obvious in his body even if he was trying to play it off, the ice blue of his eyes was rimmed with gold.

 

If someone came into Q Branch right now, they would be amazed at what they saw.  The branch was dead silent all eyes turned toward the middle, where the normally stoic and calm R looked like he wanted to run, or well in his case fly away, but that was understandable when one takes into account the other three.  Two of which well known as MI6's most deadly effective agents, assassins apart, but together they were Death himself.  Their anger was obvious, completely tense.  The final member, the only one that had a chance in forcing them to heel was the head of Q Branch.  Anger and exhaustion literally flowing off her, nothing new to the members of Q Branch, she was known to work some dangerously insane hours but it has never to this extent.  The air was crackling around her, in this moment she looked every bit as dangerous as the pair that she was facing off against even as bruised and battered as she was right now.  This was a battle of wills for the ages but no one wanted to be caught in the crossfire on this one.  All of the minions were just hoping their stillness would keep their boss’s ire from being directed toward them.

“What are you two waiting for, get out of here.”  Q growled annoyance clear.

“We’re not leaving.”  Alec responded.

“Why not?”

“Because you’re injured and should be in medical.”  James replied.

“Oh really,” the sarcasm and annoyance making the words biting, “Because you two always go to medical without a fight.”

R snickers slightly a smirk playing on his lips but quickly sobered when the others attention turned toward him.  At the narrowed eyes of his superior and the agents, he quickly gathered the gear of the agents and rushed from the room.  The others stared after for a moment frowns on their faces but made no comment at his quick retreat.

“You are not an agent.  And you always yell at us if we don’t go to medical.”  Bond growled.

“And you don’t listen to me so why should I listen to you?”

“Because you are  **not** an agent.”  Alec responded.

That was the wrong thing to say, Q’s eyes hardened to steel as she stared down the agents before her.  “I may not be an agent but I am your superior, so I am only going to say this once, leave it alone, and get the fucking hell out of my branch.”

Ice could have frozen in the room based on her tone and even the battle harden Double Os paused for a second when faced with her fury.  But with a quick look exchanged, they moved in tandem together grabbing Q and immobilizing her.  Ignoring her feline growl they made their way out of Q Branch, keeping a firm grip on Q even as she struggled in their arms, a near silent hiss escaping her mouth every time she angered one of her wounds.  Q Branch just watched as the pair of wolves kidnapped their boss from her office; not that she was making it all that easy for them.  She continued to struggle her anger clear.  The other agents that they passed in the hall all redirected their gaze the anger of those three was not something you wanted directed at you and staring at an injured Quartermaster being escorted by OO6 and OO7 was one sure way to make them pissed off.

“Bond!  Trevelyan!  Put me down!”

“No” Alec replied.

“That is an order you idiots.”

“Ma’am that is one order that we are going to respectfully decline.”  Bond replied.

Q growled and if either agent could see her eyes, they would see that the pupils were split vertically like a cat's as her anger and wounds were lessening her control.  But they had reached the doors to the elevator.  Alec was forced to loosen his grip for a fraction of a second as he pushed the call button.  In that second, Q was able to plant her feet and twist pulling herself from Alec’s grip and catching Bond by surprise.  A quick second move and she was pulling herself out of Bond’s grip.  This move only caught the other agent by surprise for a moment before he quickly readjusted.  Q just barely slipped out of his grasp before she was wrapped up in his arms.  An angry pained hiss escaped her lips as his arms tightened.  Alec just turned back around and raised an eyebrow at other two.  

“Impressive but futile, now are you going to come with us quietly now?”  Alec asked.

The only response that he got was a glare, the feline eyes that the woman was sporting making it rather frightening, the accompanying growl only furthering the threat.  The only benefit was that the elevator doors choose that moment to open.  The lone agent and three techs in the elevator took one look at the group waiting and quickly disembarked not wanting to spend any amount of time in the tiny metal box with those three.  Alec entered and waited holding the door, Bond pushed Q inside, letting her free for only a millisecond as Alec wrapped his arms around her before stepping inside himself and hitting the button for Medical.  

Q hissed, Alec is even stronger than Bond and he was hitting the vast majority of her wounds.  Bond sent his packmate a look, worry filling both of their eyes.  

“If we let you go will you stop fighting us?”  Bond whispered.

“At this point I’m stuck going to medical whether I wanted to or not, so yes.”  Q hissed her voice only just on this side of human.

Bond furrowed his brow and checked the door again, apparently, he had hit the override button for Medical instead of the normal button, it meant that no one but Q Branch could stop the elevator and that there would be a warning sent to Medical someone was on the way.  It was used against him and Alec more times than he wanted to count but was put into place mostly due to all of the Double Os.  The warning mostly in place because if one was seriously injured and on edge it was far too easy to lose control and shift.  It was a safety feature that was put into place after OO1 shifted and almost took out an administrative floor when on his way to medical after a particularly dangerous mission.  He never expected to use it against his Quartermaster though.

A quick nod to Alec had him releasing his grip but staying nearby just in case.  As Q stepped away from his arms she stumbled with her sudden freedom, James quickly reached out and steadied her.  She glared at him as if it was his fault that she was wounded but accepted his help.  The agents stood silently waiting.  Bond and Alec’s attention honed in on the Quartermaster, her attention firmly on the door, ignoring the agents around her.

Eventually they finally reached the floor for Medical and the doors slid open.  It was obvious that they had received the warning but also that Q Branch had failed to point out that it was only Q that was injured not the other agents as well.  There was an army of nurses and doctors waiting for them, about half had what James recognized as medical tranquilizers they were standing near the front obviously expecting a fight, the rest were the stronger members of medical and were standing poised to help move their patients as soon as one of them were down.

“You would think that  **all** we do is cause problems if this is how they greet us, wouldn’t you say James?”  Alec said a huge grin playing on his face, obviously enjoying the certain amount of fear that Medical was showing at the thought of having to deal with all three of them.

“I don’t know Alec, this maybe would be enough to bring you down but I doubt that this would be enough for both of us,” James replied a smirk playing on his face.  “But thankfully all they have to deal with is Q here.”

Q gave him a rather wounded look, while it was obvious that she was injured, Medical had been too focused on the two wolves in their midst to bother noticing her until he pointed her out.  Then they burst into action, hiding the sedatives but moving forward to support the woman moving her out of the elevator and into the Medical wing.  They quickly pulled her into one of the empty rooms and started to treat her.

Bond and Alec walked out of the elevator and looked around, the fury of activity surrounding the Quartermaster had lessened slightly after a particularly vicious growl, but there were still a number of people in the room caring for her.  A passing nurse took one look at the two agents and motioned for them to follow her, she lead them into the next room and then turned and stared the two men down.

“Did you two do anything to her?”

“What?”  “No”

“Okay,” she said sighing, “Now are you two injured, the warning we got was three incoming, possibly dangerous.  Nothing mentioned how injured anyone was or in what form anyone was for that matter.”

“Only minor cuts and bruises, this was a rather easy mission.”  Bond smoothly explained.

“Our real worry was for Q,” Alec finished a frown on his face.

“If you are as uninjured as you say, I guess there is nothing that I can do to prevent you from keeping an eye on her then,” the nurse said with a nod as she left the room, “just wait till there are fewer people in there before you go in ok?”

The agents made no promises but went back out into the hall to wait.  Medical personnel moved in and out of the room Q was placed in, but after about an hour all that was left, were a nurse and a doctor so the agents moved in.  Alec took up a spot next to the door and Bond moved closer to Q still out of the way but taking a more of a guard position.

“You have stitches in your arm, cracked 3 ribs bruised 2, your ankle is sprained, there is another gash on your side that we had to stitch as well, and you have a concussion.  Not to mention you are covered in bruises and cuts.  What were you thinking going to Q Branch instead of straight to us?”  The doctor hissed crossing her arms.

Q’s eyes flicked over the agents standing guard, they both were acting, as they were uninterested in what Q was going to say but it was obvious that they were listening.  “I was hoping to grab the bag I keep under my desk that has a change of clothes, that way I could maybe no longer smell like I just got out of a firefight, since it tends to make people nervous, especially my Branch and then come down and see you.  None of my injuries were life threatening, so I didn’t see the harm.”

James and Alec exchanged a look, one would think they were telepathic, and Bond left the room heading for Q Branch.  It didn’t take him very long to reach the elevator again but instead of heading straight for Q Branch, he hit the number for the locker rooms.  This quick detour later and he was sweeping into Q Branch, the minions parting like the Red Sea as he stalked toward Q’s office.  R stood blocking the door, his arms crossed, staring down the agent behind his large round glasses.  

“What do you want OO7?”  R asked.

“Just here to pick up some stuff for Q.”  Bond smiled.

“Really?  Then what is in your arms?”

“A gift, now are you going to let me through?”

“Is it going to explode?”  R asked indicating to the bag in Bond’s arms.

“You have no faith in me,” James responded a huge smile on his face as if he didn’t give them a million reasons to have that fear.

“No I’ve been working here long enough to have a healthy fear of all of the Double Os.”  R sighed, “But my concern over Q outweighs my fear this time.  Do what you will.”  He said moving away from the door.

James moved forward and as he opened the door, R spoke up again, “Just don’t damage anything, OO7 please.”  He then walked away turning his back on the predator and taking control of Q Branch again.  

James smiled but entered Q’s domain, in front of him is a wooden desk and two chairs one facing the desk one behind, there is a computer and a tablet sitting on the desk along with a few small knick-knacks.  He smiled to see that they were mostly the little things that Alec and he kept bringing back from their missions.  Behind the desk there was a bookshelf that took up a huge amount of the wall, it was filled with books and various small knick-knacks.  But as he looked he realized that some of these were old gadgets that either Major Boothroyd (the former Quartermaster) or Q herself had made.  Against the right wall there was a long couch with a pillow and a large blanket draped over it, apparently his jokes of Q living at MI6 were partially true.  He padded forward and placed the bag on Q’s desk, a smile playing on his face as he imagined the look on her face when she found it.  

Looking around the office, he looked for anything that could tell him why Q was away from the office and able to get this injured but he couldn’t find anything, there were no reports left out, no mission parameters; not that she should have been in the field, that’s what the various levels of agents were there for.  He normally was really good at getting a read on a person but he couldn’t get a read on Q.  It was annoying.  

He sighed running his hand through his short hair, but grabbed the duffle bag under Q’s desk, he opened the zipper slightly checking to see what was in it, Q wasn’t lying it was clothes, but it looked like there was more than that in here too, he continued to pull at the zipper that way he can get a better look only to get a shock.  He almost dropped the bag because of it.  He tried again only to get a stronger shock for his efforts.  Obviously, Q was prepared to protect her secrets.  Alec was waiting for him so he didn’t have the time to snoop much longer, so he just rezipped the bag, grabbed the tablet from the desk, and left the office.  He could hear the door lock behind him, apparently, Q’s security was better that it seemed.  He headed back toward Medical hopefully Q hadn’t killed Alec yet.

“So how long are you stuck down here?”  Alec asked crossing his arms.

“As long as it takes OO7 to get my bag,” Q replied her eyes narrowed.

“No really,” Alec laughed, “I would think that you might actually listen to the docs instead of escaping like a Double O.”

“Technically they want me to stay overnight, so like I said as soon as Bond is back I’m out of here.”  Q replied, “Now aren’t you supposed to be debriefing with M right about now?”

“Technically, but have you ever known James or I to ever do what we are supposed to?”

“Never,” Q replied with a shake of her head.  “So has curiosity won out or were you ordered to be my bodyguard?”

“Well it definitely looks like you need one.”  James spoke up as he walked into the room.

“As I mentioned earlier those that did this are no longer among the living so unless you plan on guarding me from ghosts your services are not needed.  Give me my bag and go report to M.”

“I’m not handing this over until you either tell us how you got hurt or you agree to stay here for the next twelve hours of observation,” Bond said calmly.  “That should be enough time for the doctors to be happy that you aren’t going to drop dead and a short enough period of time that you won’t go completely stir crazy.”

“You really think that I could leave Q Branch on its own for another 12 hours without itself destructing?”  Q said raising an eyebrow, “they’ve been on their own for over 24 hours already without any input from me and due to this damned concussion they saw me injured and escorted out by two of the deadliest agents in MI6 history.  I’m guessing the only reason they are not completely freaking out right now is because of R.  Am I wrong?”

Alec was smirking by the door, obviously enjoying Q’s overprotective streak.  James on the other hand was just shaking his head; of course, Q had to be the most stubborn person in the world.

“Look,” James said holding up the tablet that he had been hiding from Q’s gaze.  “If I give this to you, will you stay put for the next twelve hours?  I’m nearly positive you can control all of your minions from this device, so you’ll get to keep everyone happy.”

Q frowned, looking between the tablet and the agents standing guard by the door, her choices were limited, even if she could get by them and that was a rather slim chance, she was injured-it wasn’t worth it.

“Give me the tablet and my bag please,” she spat, the please sounding like a curse.

“So you’re staying?”  Alec asked.

“Twelve hours, not a second more.”  Q spat reaching out for her bag.

“Agreed,” Bond, said handing over the bag knowing that there was no way he was going to get anything better than that from the woman.

“Now,” Q said pulling herself upright, with only a slight wince because of her ribs as she swung her legs over the edge of the hospital bed.  Alec and James both stepped forward ready to support her if she needed it but judging by the look she gave them that probably wouldn’t be necessary.  Or more to the point, if it was necessary they weren’t to acknowledge it.  “I’m going to go get cleaned up,” she said pointing to the bathroom attached to the medical room, “and at least one of you is going to go and debrief.  Somehow I doubt I’ll be lucky enough to get both of you to leave.” she finished under her breath, at a tone that a mundane wouldn’t hear but a wolf shifter definitely could.

The wolves smiled and James took up a spot along the wall crossing his arms, Alec just waited.

Q stood and slowly made her way into the bathroom, body stiff, and pain obvious to the trained killers but they offered no aid because they knew no aid would be welcome.  Once the door was shut firmly behind her that was the only then did, the agents start moving.  Alec left moving quickly obviously hoping to avoid M’s wrath by reporting first, James moved to block the door once the other agent was through, he was acting as guard for now.  

Q took about ten minutes before the door opened again and she walked out, wearing a pair of yoga pants and a blue green long sleeved top, her short hair spiked up from the towel that she had swung over her shoulder and a thin black ring back on her right middle finger.  Her scent was back to normal, feline and vanilla, instead of blood and death.

“You’re still here,” she muttered, “Somehow I was hoping your fear of M would be stronger than your desire to act as bodyguard.”

“M doesn’t do anything when I break into her house, putting off getting yelled at by protecting my Quartermaster is far less likely to piss her off.”  James shrugged.

“I had thought that was just a rumor,” Q muttered as she sat back down on the hospital bed, pulling the tablet toward her.  “I’ll have to offer to upgrade her security again.”

“I’ll just get past it again.” he responded a smirk playing on his lips.

“We’ll see,” Q responded her focus being taken over by her tablet.  Her fingers were moving in a flurry as she responded to Q Branch and brought herself back up to speed with what had happened in her absence.

“So what were you doing that you got yourself blown up?”  James asked.

“You are far more subtle on your missions OO7…  And I wasn’t blown up.”

“Somehow I thought that to the point would work better with you than my normal tricks.”

“Good try OO7” Q said her focus completely on the small screen before her.

“Were you mugged?”

Q started laughing, “Please OO7, have some faith in me, I was able to almost get away from you and Trevelyan while injured, somehow I doubt even a gang of muggers would be much of a problem.”

“Were you on a mission?”

Q ignored the agent, a frown on her face as she focused on the report in front of her.

Bond moved forward so he was behind Q leaning over her shoulder, just barely avoiding touching the feline, “Q what were you doing?” he whispered into her ear.

“OO7 if you do not back off right now, you will find yourself in the field with nothing more than a nerf gun,” Q responded not looking up once, “Have I made myself clear?”

“Perfectly,” James said moving back but still within Q’s personal space.

They remained in silence for a while, James standing slightly behind Q as she continued to work on the tablet.  At one point one of the nurses came in and asked in Q wanted the IV with the pain meds put back in, only to receive a negative.  James had frowned at that one, but he normally turned down pain meds anyway so he wasn’t going to force them on Q, not when she was already pissed off at him.  They waited a while and finally Alec came back.

“I’m surprised?”  He said standing in the doorway.  At Q’s raised eyebrow and unimpressed look he elaborated, “I was fully expecting you two to be at each other’s throats by now.”

“Q has maintained her normal level of composure Alec, and I have been known to behave myself on occasion.”  James responded, “How angry is M?”

“Let's just say you are lucky that you’re her favorite James, she was ready to rip me a new one.  Something about an international incident and too much clean up for a relatively simple op.”  Alec said shrugging as he walked in, “the only reason why I was able to get her to calm down slightly was the fact that I mentioned that you were taking care of Q and that as soon as I got down here you would be heading up to see her.”

“I’m assuming that there is some message for me OO6?”  Q spoke up.

“Oh yes, Torchwood, that’s all she said.”  Alec said leaning against the wall, “awfully interesting show, bit more of a fan of Doctor Who myself.”

Q rolled her eyes and looked up, “It means that what I was doing was completed to satisfaction, I’m allowed to heal up a little before I am required to report in and that if you two won’t leave it alone answer one question.  So as odd as our code word is it still allows for a huge amount of information.”

“What’s the question that we get an answer to?”  Bond asked, his fingers brushing her arm.

“It was a mission where I was injured, I was alone, and it’s classified beyond your need to know.”  Q responded returning her attention to her tablet.  James and Alec exchanged a look over her head, concern obvious, what was going on in MI6 now?

“You sure you can’t tell us anymore?”  James purred, leaning over Q’s space.

“I know I can’t OO7, now go report to M.”  Q said finally pushing the agent away.

He straightened his jacket and moved toward the door pausing only for a moment to whisper to Alec, “Make sure she takes a break eventually.”  Alec nodded and James continued to the door.

“Oh and Bond,” Q’s voice forced him to pause just inside the door, “You aren’t her favorite... OO10 is.”

Bond frowned but kept moving leaving his packmate behind with Q.

“OO10 is a myth,” Alec said pushing himself off the wall and moving nearer to Q. "A story used to scare and inspire new agents nothing more."

“So you say,” Q responded raising her eyes slightly a smirk playing on her lips as she looked at the Russian agent.

After about twenty minutes, Alec spoke again, “you know you’re going to need to take a break eventually right?”

“I was planning to in a few moments OO6, I’m stuck down here for the next ten hours and thirty minutes now, and I’m injured.  There is only so much that I can do without access to the rest of Q Branch and so I am rapidly reaching the end of the work that I can do currently.”  Q replied looking up briefly, “not to mention I was hoping to at least be able to get some amount of sleep since I was stuck here anyway.”

Alec nodded and kept his guard from the wall.  About twenty minutes later Q sighed and pushed the tablet away.

“Done?”  Alec asked, pushing off the wall.

“For now,” Q responded, trying to move herself into a position where she could grab the sheets from below her.  “I’ll probably check everything over again when I wake up, but I’m done for now.”

“Would you like some help?”  Alec asked, moving closer but not so close that if she took offence she could hit him.  He already underestimated her once today, he wasn’t about to do it again.

Q looked down and sighed, “I would appreciate it.”

Alec moved forward and it took a little bit of maneuvering but soon the blankets were freed and Q was able to get back into the bed.  As she lay down, Alec grabbed the blankets and placed them over her body, her eyes already closing against her will.

“There you go Quartermaster, all tucked in, don’t let the bedbugs bite.”  Alec said moving away.

“Alec, I’m giving you the same threat I gave your packmate.  If you continue to bother me your kit will only contain a nerf gun, don’t doubt for a minute I wouldn’t do it,” she hissed sleepily.

The agent just chuckled and smoothed out her blanket over her.  He stepped back moving back into the guard position.  A few minutes later Q’s sleepy voice spoke up, “You can shift you know, it won’t bother me any”

Alec looked over in shock but Q wasn’t in a position to elaborate.  He frowned and thought about it for a second, James should be coming down soon he would remain human, and could act as mediator with the medical personal and he always was more comfortable as a wolf anyway, his senses were better.  A second later and in this place, there was a large dark grey and black wolf.  He looked around the room and studied the bed for a second.  A moment later, he jumped landing lightly on the foot of Q’s bed, facing the door, comfortable but still ready to protect Q at a second’s notice.  The only indication that Q had even noticed that he had followed her instructions was the brief stutter in her breathing as he settled down.

It took another half hour before Bond joined them, pushing the door open, his body language screaming annoyed.  Alec just raised his head off the bed to meet his eyes.  He nodded to the other wolf, showing that all was well here, an odd motion for a wolf but one James expected.  James shifted as well and soon in his place, there was a pale wolf, staring up at his packmate.

_ “Are you going to be able to sit anytime soon?”   _ Alec asked, his thoughts taking a laughing tone.

_ “Very funny, M eventually came around to my side of thinking; it just took a little explaining.”   _ James replied trying to keep his composure.

_ “So how long are we grounded for because of you?”   _ Alec asked wryly

_ “We’re not pups, she can’t ground us.”   _ James muttered rolling his eyes.  In his mind’s eye, he could see Alec raising his eyebrow and crossing his arms.  Obviously, that was a lie too far.   _ “Fine a month unless something comes up that the others can’t handle.” _

_ “Only you could piss her off that much that she grounds us for a month.”   _ Alec thought shaking his head.

James shrugged an extremely weird look on a wolf.   _ “She did say that as long as we can follow Q we can keep watch if we want.  Apparently it would be a bit of a challenge.” _

_ “She thinks that the boffin can avoid two Double Os?” _

_ “Seemed rather sure of it actually.”   _ James replied pulling up the mental picture of M when she had mentioned that.

_ “So apparently there is more to Q then meets the eye then,”  _ Alec said with a mental shrug and a smile on his muzzle.

James returned the smirk seeing where his packmate’s thoughts were going.   _ “I’m guessing we’re accepting the challenge?” _

_ “Most definitely.”   _ Alec said,  _ “This is going to be fun.” _

_ “How long has she been asleep?”   _ James asked looking up at the sleeping woman.

Alec turned his head and did the same,  _ “About a half hour, I doubt she gets all that much sleep normally and she just came off running our op, then got sent on her own.”  _  The wolf shook his head.

_ “It's not right,”  _ James responded his tone not much different from Alec’s,  _ “she’s going to burn out if M lets her to keep this up.” _

_ “You sound like you care.”   _ Alec commented settling his head back between his paws.

_ “You don’t?”   _ James sniped back.

_ “I’m not the one who's been denying that he has a crush on her.”   _ Alec said staring down at Bond.   _ “I like her, my wolf likes her, your wolf like her, you are the only one still in denial.” _

James looked down and away, not realizing that Alec had picked up on that much.  But he was saved from having to respond right away by the nurse walking in to check on Q.  She pushed the door open but froze upon seeing the two wolves.  Alec had picked his head up and had bared his teeth slightly at her, Bond had turned, and was standing stiff legged blocking her entrance his teeth bared directed at her.  

“No, no this is not happening,” she hissed in a hushed tone.  “I don’t care if you are here to guard Q; I am only dealing with one wolf at a time.  One of you is changing back or you both are going to be kicked out.”

_ “Think she’s serious?”   _ Alec asked James.

_ “Probably, not really in the mood to test it,”  _ James huffed.   _ “I’ll change back.” _  With that seconds later, he was standing in front of the nurse his arms crossed.  “Better?”

“Much,” she said pushing Bond out of her way as she moved toward Q.  She quickly looked over the bandages that she could see and then turned toward the agent, “How long has she been asleep?  How long has she agreed to stay?”

“She’s been asleep about half an hour, according to Alec,” Bond sighed running his hand back up through this short hair, “She’s agreed to stay for the next twelve hours, actually by now,” he paused looking at the clock above the nurse’s head, “I’d say it’s a little less than ten hours.”

“And she won’t stay a moment longer,” the nurse said shaking her head.  “I would suggest waking her up in about half an hour because of her concussion, but she needs the sleep more than she needs that.  Let us know if anything changes.” she said walking out of the room.

James just shook his head and took up position in the chair next to Q’s bed.  If he was going to be keeping watch with his packmate, at least he better be comfortable.

Hours past, Alec eventually fell into a doze; James did too not long after, the lightest sleep able to be roused with the slightest amount of noise but still restful enough that they would be able to stay awake later if they had too.  It was only when there was only about an hour left in Q’s isolation in Medical that she started to waken again.  Alec started the moment her breathing changed and Bond raised his head as well.  Q’s eyes flew open and she quickly took stock of the room.  Her eyes paused for a moment on both Alec and Bond but her gaze quickly past them over.  It was only after she had taken stock of everything around her that her breathing slowed down again.

“I wasn’t expecting you both to still be here,” she muttered.

“We take our missions seriously when it suits us.”  James raising an eyebrow at the woman.

Q shook her head and tried to push herself into a sitting position.  She managed it wincing at the pull it caused on her ribs as she managed it.  Alec made a pained noise at the back of his throat when he saw the wince James frowned and leaned forward.  She reached for her tablet but that proved too much and she slumped back against the pillows behind her a pained hiss escaping her lips.  

“You going to let us help?”  Bond asked raising an eyebrow.  

“Does it look like I have all that much of a choice?”  Q hissed.

“No not really,” Bond said dryly as he passed her the tablet a small smile playing on his lips.

“Thank you,” Q replied her attention already being drawn to the relatively frightening amount of emails that had piled up in her absence.  

“Are you ever without that thing?”  Bond asked indicating toward the tablet.

“Obviously OO7, since you retrieved it from my office.”  Q replied dryly.

Alec made a coughing bark, that meant that he was laughing, but then they all found themselves sitting in silence, waiting for the hour to be up.  The closer it got to the hour mark the more restless Q was, eventually Alec jumped down, and he was getting sick of being kicked by accident.  When the hour was almost up, Q got up and retreated to the bathroom with her bag again.  She came out this time with her hair back under control as much as it ever was, wearing a skirt, a sweater, and a pair of flats.  The worst of her injuries hidden she looked completely put together.

“You clean up nice,” James spoke up looking the woman up and down.  Alec woofed in agreement his tail wagging as he looked at Q from the floor.

“Thank you,” she muttered, tossing her other clothes and the tablet into the bag.  “It's a spare outfit incase I get called into any extra meetings.  I actually have a suit in my bookcase for the same reason.”

“Girl Scout,” James said smiling.

Q just raised her eyebrow and turned her attention to the clock.  With five minutes to spare, the doctor walked in again.

“You are not cleared for fieldwork until those ribs heal and you shouldn’t shift until then too.  You have the rest of the week off; it’s already been cleared with M and its Thursday already.  You are not to be into MI6 until Monday.  I know I don’t need to remind you to take care of those wounds, just do me a favor, and try not to pull any of your stitches this time,” she said with a sigh.

“I’ll do my best.”  Q said looking at the other woman.

“Yeah, that’s what you always say,” the doctor muttered.  “Here’s an antibiotic, follow the directions, and some pain meds, take as needed but follow the directions.  No alcohol with these understood?”

“Perfectly, now may I go debrief that way I can please go home?”

“Yeah get out of here,” the other woman said shaking her head moving out of the way of the door.

Q stalked down the hall, Alec padding alongside only a half step behind on her left, Bond the same on her right.  She reached the elevator and hit the button for M’s office.

“Are you two going to follow me the entire time?”

Bond just smiled, not a normal smile but the smile that all Double Os had when they were on a hunt.  So in other words yes they were.  Q just kept her eyes forward and as soon as the doors open stalked toward M’s office ignoring her two tails.

“Ms Moneypenny, is M still available for me to debrief?”  Q asked pausing in front of the woman’s desk.

“Q, how many times do I have to tell you, call me Eve?” the woman answered, brushing her curly hair out of her eyes as she straightened looking at the agents following Q.  “You’re all set, she was waiting for you.  James and Alec have to stay out here with me though,” she finished the sentence with a purr as she looked through her lashes at the two agents.

“Of course,” Q said moving toward the door, “you can keep them Eve... please.”  She finished as the door shut behind her.

Alec moved toward the door hoping to hear something but there was a short static sound and he was jumping back shaking his head, as he was shocked.  Eve looked down at her computer and shook her head looking at the agents.

“She initiated lockdown procedures; we aren’t going to be able to hear anything.”  Eve sighed.

“Surely you must have some idea what our dear Q was doing,” James purred leaning his weight on the edge of Eve’s desk.

“Annoyingly enough James, there is little that anyone does know about Q.  Even me.”  Eve shook her head.  “Her file alone is so encrypted I think the only person that could maybe get into it other than Q herself is R and this is not the first time that she has been sent into the field either.  That’s all I know, it’s annoying.”

“So in other words, Q is keeping secrets while working with a huge number of spies and no one can tell us anything?”  Alec responded having shifted back once he got shocked.

“In a nutshell, yes.”  Eve replied frustrated.

James and Alec exchanged a look, their unofficial mission to guard Q just got a lot more interesting.

“She’ll be in there for a while,” Eve said indicating to the door.  “You two might as well head out.”

“We can’t guard her if we don’t know where she is.”  James replied smoothly.

“Well since she already has her bag, as soon as she is done talking to M she is going to be headed straight for the garage and home,” Eve said pulling up an email and turning the computer toward the agents.  “She has been officially banned for MI6 property until Monday for medical reasons, so I’m guessing she pissed off Medical again?”

“And she’s injured and we all know that if she could she would just be running herself into the ground keeping Q Branch afloat, when she knows that R is more than capable of doing that himself for the short term at least.”  James commented.

“She did make him her second for a reason,” Alec finished.

It took a while for Q to be finished with M, Alec had finally went down and had picked up his and James’ bags from their lockers, all they were doing was waiting for Q.  Two hours and some change later, the door opened and Q stepped out running her hand through her hair frustrated and muttering under her breath.  She waved slightly to Eve and ignored the Double Os as she headed through security down to the garage.  Once there she walked over to the motorcycle that was next to the wall and lifted the seat.  She pulled out her gear and another bag, but left the bike behind.  Cracked ribs plus a motorcycle was a recipe for disaster and she knew it.  The agents just watched as she then moved down the line of cars.  She finally paused in front of a rather nice looking black SUV and got into the driver’s seat.  James and Alec quickly got into the Aston Martin Vanquish that James had driven in that day.  Q raised her head and met the gaze of the agents, she raised her eyebrow, and Alec’s phone went off with a text notification.

-Good luck keeping up boys Q-

With that Q left the garage, James and Alec rather close behind but once they left MI6 property, things started getting more interesting.  For every light that they past Q would get through while, it was still yellow or green but they got the red light every time.  Q also was using rather complex evasive maneuvers and after about twenty minutes, they were left behind swearing.

“Where did she go?”

“How the hell did we lose her?”

‘Beep’ it was Alec’s phone.

-Nice try boys, see you Monday Q-

 

“Shit” James swore, Alec repeated the sentiment in Russian.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

It was a long night for James and Alec and their morning wasn’t looking much better, when they had come in on Friday, Eve took one look at them and started laughing.

“Q gave you the slip huh?” Eve teased.

“Perhaps,” Alec agreed.

“I don’t suppose you might know where she could be found?” James purred, leaning over the edge of the secretary's desk.

“Now Bond, if I told you I would have to kill you,” Eve purred right back.

Alec snorted behind James.

“I’m sure you would give it your best shot.” James said smiling.

“What are you two doing here?” Eve asked her tone fond but exasperated.

“Perhaps we were just coming to see you?” James replied and even Alec was looking at him with a fond shake of his head.

“Even Alec isn’t falling for that line Bond,” Eve said smiling. “So really what are you here for?”

“Are you sure that you can’t tell us where Q would be?” Alec asked speaking up. “She’s injured so someone should know where she is so they can protect her.”

“OO6, if you and OO7 were not able to track Q, I would say that she is more than capable to make it through the weekend without you two acting as guard.” M said from her doorway. James jumped away from Eve’s desk and straightened his jacket quickly, Alec stood up straighter under M’s scrutiny her blue eyes staring into his soul.

“As it is the fact that she was so easily able to give you two the slip makes me question your effectiveness.” The woman continued her voice firm as she stared down the agents.

“Q has resources available to us that made tracking her extremely difficult ma’am.” James said, his tone respectful and unashamed.

“Whatever your excuse OO7, I had warned you not to underestimate Q and it seems that you have done just that. Bothering Ms. Moneypenny is going to get you nowhere, so I would suggest you and OO6 go and work on the paperwork that I know has been piling up on your desks and enjoy the weekend.” M said turning her attention away from the two agents. “Q will be in on Monday.”

Both recognizing that they were dismissed, James and Alec turned and left the room.

“So now what?” Alec said leaning against the wall.

“Either we do what M said and try and get some of that paperwork done before someone tries to chain us to that desk until we’re done again, or we could go bug R.” James answered.

“I could think of much better things to be doing with those chains,” Alec said a sly grin directed toward James. 

James laughed and shook his head at his packmate moving closer he leaned close, “Maybe after we get home.” He purred into his ear before leaning in and meeting Alec’s lips. He pulled away after a moment, “We do have all weekend.”

James continued down the hallway a satisfied smile on his face his packmate frozen behind him lost in his fantasy before he came rushing up next to him a smirk playing on his lips.

“So paperwork then go bother Q Branch?” Alec said.

“Sounds like a plan,” James said opening the door to their small office. Inside there was a pair of desks complete with chairs, lamps, and computers, a change of suits for each hanging off the back of the door, and a small filing cabinet shoved into the back corner filled with a ton of useless paperwork that if Q had any modicum of free time she would have made digital and gotten rid of by now. And the desks were covered in matching piles of paperwork. About half of it wasn’t needed, it was waiting for them in their emails as well but the rest needed to be filled out by hand. Both men moved to the desks and got started. Soon the room was filled with the clacking of keys and shuffling of papers, as the agents tried to make a dent in the piles of paperwork. Old files, confirming old after action reports, damage reports, and just everyday paperwork it all was there and all need their attention. 

It had been a few months since they last were injured enough that they were forced to sit still and finish their paperwork and the damned stuff piled up rather quickly. The only good thing was that after Q had realized that agents did everything in their power to avoid the inevitable paperwork that came from working for the crown, she took some time and altered the paperwork that way it could be done much faster and removed most of the stupid questions that the previous paperwork held. It was a small effort but it made all of the agents appreciate her all the more. Even with this help it still was a frightening amount of work. They had started working at 8 and it was now noon, Alec was completely distracted and stir crazy, and they were only about half way through. 

James’s hand went up catching the paper ball that was thrown toward his head. He raised his eyes to look at his mate a smirk on his face and threw the ball back. "So I'm guessing lunch break and then we try to get R to give us the information we need?"

“Yes,” Alec said already standing his jacket thrown casually over his arm.

James shook his head and after saving his most recent file got up and left with his mate. The two wolves moved down the cantina and a quick sharp look later were in the front of the line for food. Moments later they were sitting in their corner eyes sweeping the room around them as they ate. The room was filled with people on their lunch breaks, techs from Q branch eating as quickly as possible to get back to their most recent projects, agents of varying clearance levels with varying levels of surveillance as they ate, and other personnel mostly ignoring those not at their tables focused only on those that they agreed to eat with. Nothing new for MI6 so Alec and James quickly found themselves becoming distracted as they started throwing reasons for why Q was in the field back and forth.

“So what happened to Q?” OO3, Scarlett Grace, said sitting down next to Alec stealing a chip off of James’ plate.

The other agents started somewhat having been lost in their conversation but James just ended up glaring at her for the theft of his food but still angled his tray that way she could get more if she wished. 

“What makes you think that something happened to Q?” James asked leaning forward slightly.

Scarlett just raised an eyebrow obviously not impressed by the other Double O and waited. When it became obvious that there was no way that Alec and James were going to budge she elaborated. “Q Branch is under R’s control and they all are a little bent out of shape whispering about Q being escorted out, injured, by you two yesterday morning. So what happened to our Q?”

James and Alec exchanged a look, silently communicating in a way, not as clear as it is in their wolf forms but still there. “Do we tell her?” “She’s a Double O she’ll figure it out eventually, and she could help,” “Fine but you’re the one telling her”

An eye roll later Alec started speaking, “You’re not wrong, but we can’t talk about this here.” He looked around and sure enough for a building full of spies people need to learn to hide their eavesdropping better. A quick glare by the various Double Os had them all turning their attention back to their food but the point was made. 

In a move so synchronized that one would think it was practiced the three stood and left the cantina. OO3 stole some more of James’ chips as they went. They swept through MI6 only stopping when they reached the Double O lounge. MI6 had a number of secret areas set aside for the various agents to let them wind down after missions or just to hide out when they didn’t want to go back to their flats. They were all over the building and some agents have preferences over which one but they were all as secure as M’s office. That was another part of Q’s influence. As they entered OO3 went and threw herself down on the couch, Alec picked one of the armchairs sitting over the side like a child, leaving James to secure the door. A few buttons later and the room was completely secure and locked.

James stalked over and leaned against the back of Alec’s chair looking down at his mate with a fond shake of his head. When Alec looked up James just raised an eyebrow obviously waiting for Alec to start speaking.

“How much do you want to know?” Alec asked. 

The other Double O just gave him a highly unamused look in return. 

“What you can’t blame a guy for trying?” was his response and he got the same look from both James and Grace that time.

“We were finishing up our last mission just dealt with the target, had a long ride ahead of us ‘til we reached civilization, and an even longer plane ride ahead of us; so the normal. Once we had finished the target she immediately handed over comms and it was radio silence until we had reached the airport 6 hours later. R was running comms and only could tell us that she was unavailable. Thanks to a storm we were grounded in Canada for over 12 hours and Q was still MIA when we finally got on the damn plane to head here.” Alec said his frustration bleeding through into his tone. “We land and for once come here asap and Q isn’t even in Q Branch. At the front, looking like a damn university student is R and no Q in sight. James here is about 5 seconds away from threatening her location out of the poor man-”

“You were growling at him,” James pointed out poking the other wolf.

“-when Q is at the door.” Alec continued as if James hadn’t spoken. “She looked like hell, smelled like a Double O and when we asked her who hurt her all she would say is that they were dead. We kinda forced her to go to medical and she fought us the whole way, actually almost got away from us once. That was kinda embarrassing. When she finally got to medical she had stitches in her arm and side, cracked 3 ribs bruised 2, a sprained ankle, and a concussion. She was worse than any of us about staying too. It took both of us and James getting her gear from her office for her to agree to stay for even twelve hours. She wouldn’t tell us anything, I finally went and debriefed and M told me to tell Q ‘Torchwood’ apparently that's a code word that the two of them use. It meant that Q would answer one question we had that way we would stop bothering her. All she told us though was that she was on a mission, alone and that's how she was injured. Her mission was completed but when she went to talk to M she was in there for over 2 hours and Eve only told us that this wasn’t the first time that Q has been on a mission and that her file is unreachable.”

“We were told that if we could keep up we could watch over Q this weekend, since M figured Q might need the backup and us the challenge but Q drives worse than Alec here does and we lost her.” James finished. Silence reigned as the other agent processed this new batch of information.

“hmm, this isn’t the first time that Q’s been injured.” Scarlett commented after a long moment. At Alec and James’ confused look she elaborated, “about a month ago, I was stuck in medical overnight and really late that night there was a small disturbance. Q came in stumbling looking like she had been standing too near an explosion, debris in her hair, covered in ash, cuts and scrapes. Medical almost seemed to be expected her to show up though. When I mentioned an explosion to R the next week, he said that nothing had blown up in Q Branch and that Q hadn’t even been in that day.”

“Jack said something a while ago too about Q disappearing on him once when he was on a recon mission for a few days.” Alec said slowly.

“Sam too,” Scarlett said.

James frowned thinking, “so let's think about this, what do we know about Q?”

“Are we turning this into a mission?” OO3 commented.

“Yes and no,” James said slowly, “we all trust her, almost more than we trust M, hell even OO1 trusts her. But she’s hiding something, and M knows it. And whatever it is that she’s hiding its dangerous, and I don’t know about you but I don’t like that fact, since it seems that she never has any back up that we know about with whatever she is doing.”

Alec nodded, “I don’t like the idea of her being in harm's way this way.”

Scarlett looked between the two wolves, “look it, I’m trusting your instincts on this one, if Q finds out that we’re doing this she is going to have all of our hides. But are we just information gathering or is this protection as well?”

“Both” Alec said quickly.

“Then shouldn’t we tell the others too then.” she continued, “every Double O would do everything in their power to protect her already, what’s the harm in warning them that something is going on?”

“We run the risk of Q finding out then,” James replied.

“No not really, whenever we’re on leave at least one of us is in Q Branch already, a slight uptick in surveillance wouldn’t be noticed.” Scarlett argued. “Look I get it you both want her and would love to be claiming her but even after you both grab the balls to stake claim you’re going to have to deal with the fact that every other Double O sees her as a sister and is overprotective of her. So both of you get the stick out of your asses and let us in now and save yourselves the trouble.”

James and Alec both looked chastised at that.

“So how do we let them know what's going on?” Alec said.

“Well first things first, who else is in town?” OO3 replied. 

“Well last I heard Johnston was on his way back, Sam is still in Turkey, Thorne is in Africa somewhere, and Ben is off in China.” James replied. “So that leaves Jack and Bob here.”

“They’re probably down by the gym.” Alec said.

“I’m headed that way already I’ll fill them in and we’ll have a meeting when the others get back to fill them in too. Maybe I’ll even stretch my wings today and see what I can see” Scarlett said standing. “I’ll be in touch boys,” she said as she left the room, leaning back for a minute to add, “you better be too.”

James and Alec both rolled theirs but nodded as the woman made her escape leaving the pair of them alone. They sit and enjoy the silence for a little while, their thoughts running circles in their heads. It’s not every day that someone has hid this much from the agents of MI6. After some time, they both stood.

“Q Branch?” Alec asked a playful smirk playing on his lips.

“Q Branch.” James confirmed his look mirroring that of his mate.

They entered Q Branch and it was a mirror of the previous day, R was up front in front of the wall of monitors doing something and the rest of the minions were buzzing about. The insane level of stress that was present the day before was lacking though. Apparently knowing that Q was alive and back in town was enough for the minions to stop freaking out and knowing Q she was probably giving them orders from home anyway which was probably helping a lot too. Some of the minions looked up as the two agents stalked forward through the lab passing desk by desk heading for R. They would look up and then quickly return their gaze to their computers knowing that getting involved might not be in their best interests. As they stalked toward R they could tell that while the younger man was calmer than he was the day before he still was stressed. Probably due to the fact that he had cover for Q until Monday. He at least had slept and changed though, still wearing a god awful cardigan if anyone asked OO7’s opinion, and while there were tea mugs on the desk it no longer looked like the man needed an IV of the stuff. He was completely distracted by whatever it was that he was working on and he didn’t even notice that the two hunters were closing in on him until they both were standing over his shoulder.

“R,” Alec started, pausing as the other man jumped about a foot in surprise. His form flickered and for a brief moment in his place was a large black bird, maybe a raven or crow, before it settled back out as R, glaring at the two agents from behind his huge glasses. 

“Yes, OO6,” R responded his tone ice cold, “What can you and your packmate possibly want?”

“R, R, R, can’t we come down and visit our favorite boffin?” James commented leaning into the tech’s space.

“Well since your favorite is Q, I think that we might have a slight problem here, OO7. Apparently in your old age you have forgotten that she is banned from MI6 until Monday.” R replied slowly as if he was talking to a child. “So what are you two doing here besides causing problems?”

“Well little bird,” Alec said leaning into R’s space crowding him between the two agents, “That’s the very reason we’re here in your nest today. You see Q managed somehow to give us the slip yesterday. And we were told to keep an eye on her but we can’t really do that if we don’t know where she is can we?”

“So in other words, you two, two of MI6’s best agents lost the head of Q Branch and are now begging for my help to find her that way you two don’t look like complete idiots?” R said leaning away from the agents and laughing slightly.

The agents froze their faces turning into a weird look; a mix of ashamed and annoyed, that would have had R laughing if he wasn’t so afraid of the pair. They exchanged a look but after a quick shake of his head from Alec they turned their attention back on the man before them. 

“Well it’s not a mission per say, so we can’t really be that bad.” Alec said slowly, “But I know that we would be much calmer if we knew that Q was ok and even more so if we could be the ones protecting her.”

“I know Q’s home security system, I helped design it. It’s more secure than MI6 right now, she’s more than safe without having the joy of you two bothering her.” R said lowering his eyes back to his work. “Now if you two would excuse me I need to get this done within the hour, so will you please leave.”

“Is there anything that we can do for you R?” James asked, “You see paperwork is rather dull and bothering you until we get the information we want is far far more entertaining.”

“OO7, it is not my job to find entertainment for you, if you wish to be useful I would assume there are some prototypes that might need to be tested in R&D or you two can go and work off your frustrations in the gym and leave myself and this Branch alone.” R hissed losing his temper, “Now if you and OO6 will excuse me I need to get this finished before 004 comes online for today. So go.”

James and Alec exchanged a look obviously they were not going to get anywhere with this line of questioning and they knew R well enough that if they kept bugging him that they were probably going to run the risk of being electrocuted or losing their credit history soon. So they wisely made a tactical retreat down toward R&D, it was a stuck off in some corner of the building and built like a bomb shelter although that probably was because of the fact that it acted like a bomb shelter extremely often. When the two wolves entered the labs it was silent. They both immediately tensed and looked around, R&D was never silent, as they scanned the room though it became obvious as to why in seconds.

OO1, Robert Mason and OO2, Jack Fairbanks were both staring down the head boffin being their normal intimidating selves. Bob was the oldest of the Double Os, with a gruff appearance and even gruffer mannerisms, his shifted form was that of a large brown bear and his personality matched his form perfectly. There was a very good reason that he was the oldest of them all. Jack was a very quiet man but you always knew where you stood with him by his body language more often than not. His form was that of a bullmastiff and it showed in his level of protectiveness. They were close friends and probably each other’s only friend. But the pair of them are more than enough to put anyone on edge on a good day and this did not look like a good day. 

“Bob, Jack how are you?” Alec said stepping forward a smile on his face obviously trying to defuse the tension in the room as quickly as possible. The other two agents quickly turned toward the wolves tension obvious in their body language. The boffin, Smith was his name, looked almost relieved to see Alec and James obviously thinking that the addition of the other Double Os would result in the attention being taken off of him. 

“What do you want Trevelyan?” Mason growled.

“Well the little bird in Q Branch is at the end of his rope with us so we decided to come down here and see if there was anything that they needed blown up instead of going back to our paperwork.” Alec said his voice completely calm. “Now somehow I doubt that is why you are down here and I know it's not because your equipment was faulty because Q would have had this guy's heads if it was, so…?

Fairbanks’ body language relaxed, he realized what was going on, Mason on the other hand while he had probably made the connection wasn’t going to relax anytime soon.

“What’s it to you Trevelyan?” Mason grumbled.

“Well these poor techs are the ones that help make our wonderful toys and Smith here looks like he’s about five seconds from passing out and we really can’t have that.” Alec said keeping his tone completely calm even though the older agent was starting to unnerve him with the looks that he was giving. James was just standing by and watching the show. 

Mason sighed, and his posture relaxed as much as he was able, a slight nod and it saw the other agents relaxing slightly but Smith on the other hand was still as stiff as a board.

“Q went MIA for over 24 hours and came back highly injured,” Mason said giving Alec and James a sharp look, obviously not happy to be hearing about this through the MI6 grapevine. “And no one seems to have an idea as to how or why, so we were just coming to see if Smith here had any clue.” The agent said turning to look at the thin man.

Smith whimpered slightly and took a step back from the group, a mistake he realized rather quickly as he now had four hunters staring him down. 

“What do you know?” Fairbanks asked his voice deceptively calm.

The man paled and back up slightly again, “N-n-nothing sir.”

“Now Smith,” James spoke up, “no one believes that.”

Alec subtly took a sniff of the air, anger was the scent oozing off of the other two agents mixed in with their respective animal scents, probably due to the risks that Q was taking and the fact that they learned of these risks through the rumor mill. But Smith he only smelled like fear no animal scent, so a mundane, which made him attempting to stand up to four Double Os completely stupid.

“T-t-there’s nothing to tell.” Smith stuttered again.

“Smith,” Mason growled.

“She’s my boss, if she told me not to tell you I can’t” the man whined.

“Is it possibly going to put her in harm's way?” James asked calmly but the other shifters could hear the tension hidden in his words.

“W-what do you mean?” the man was obviously not expecting the agent to be this calm about this.

“If Q continues doing what she has been doing is she in danger?” James continued just as calm.

The man looked lost in thought for a second obviously trying to think of the best way to answer this question, “yes… I mean obviously this isn’t the first time that she’s been injured.” he answered slowly.

Fairbanks growled lowly at that comment, Mason stiffened, apparently Scarlett hadn’t told them about that.

“So if telling us what you do know would help keep her safe wouldn’t that be preferable to her continuing to be injured?” Alec asked gently seeing where James was going in his questions.

“Well… um… you see I don’t know that much and… well what I do know I’m, well, not even sure if I’m supposed to know it.” Smith muttered.

“You know all of our clearances, Smith, you can tell us and you know it won’t reach anyone else’s ears.” James said smoothly, the other agents knew that any information was going to be spread to the other Double Os but the mundane didn’t need to know that.

Smith hesitated obviously torn between his loyalty to Q and his fear for her safety. But James has always been extremely persuasive and the others knew that the tech was leaning toward giving up the information that the others wanted.

“She won’t find out about this will she?” Smith asked lowly.

“We would never give up a source like that would we guys?” Alec said looking at the other agents who all shook their heads.

“Ok,” Smith said slowly, then he took a deep breath and straightened. “There have been things that go missing, prototypes days away from final testing that disappear whenever Q does, and they normally appear not long after she comes back. Often in worse shape than they were before.”

“What sort of prototypes?” Mason asked.

Smith’s eyes went wide he had forgotten that the other two agents were still in the room but he still answered, “Guns mostly and some other tech that normally ends up in your kits at some point or another.”

“How often does this happen?” James asked slowly, the other agents tensed, they hadn’t even thought about that. 

“It depends,” Smith answered, “if she was injured or you all are out on important missions it happens much less often but I would say around once every few months or so.”

“So what you’re saying is the missing tech is a signal that Q is away on a mission?” Alec asked to confirm.

“As best I can follow sir,” Smith said with a quick nod. “I don’t know everything but that seems to be my best guess, judging by your questions.”

“That will be all Smith,” James said dismissing the man, when he paused looking at the agents in fear, he continued. “We won’t mention a word of this to Q as long as you keep it quiet as well.”

With a sharp and quick nod, the other man moved away from the agents and with a quick signal the four of them left room. As soon as they were out of earshot OO1 grabbed James pushing him up against the wall. Alec and OO2 tensed but James just went limp not fighting the larger man but waiting. 

“What game are you playing Bond?” Mason growled, his bear form obvious in his tone.

“What do you mean?” James replied smoothly completely unruffled by the angry shifter.

“You’re sniffing around Q, ya mutt.” Mason commented, “what your business there?”

James’ eyes hardened to steel as he answered his voice calm but icy, “You were surely told of our interest, since you were attempting to interrogate Smith, and I assure you I am not mutt. Now let go."

"What do you want with Q?"

"Her safety," Bond growled back.

This caused the older agent to pause and he gave Bond an assessing look and with a short nod let go of his neck and backed away. Bond returned the look but didn't respond to his new found freedom. 

“Now are we in agreement, the Double O branch is going to be Q’s guard?” James asked looking between the other two men.

“We also are going to be finding out what she’s doing right?” Jack asked slowly the bullmastiff shifter staring the wolf down.

“Of course,” Alec responded. “But I would say protection should be our main priority, Q should not be in this much danger.”

The other Double Os nodded and with that they parted ways. It was understood that as the other Double Os made their way back to British soil they would be briefed on the plan.

“Finish the reports on Monday?” Alec asked bumping into James a smirk on his face.

“Sounds like a plan,” James said leaning in capturing his packamate’s lips in a quick kiss, moving away quickly leading his fellow wolf down the hall.

OO7*OO6*OO10*OO7*OO6*OO10*OO7*OO6*OO10*OO7*OO6*OO10*OO7*OO6*OO10*

Monday came far too soon for the two worn out wolves. But they had every reason to actually make it to work on time, for the second day in a row. As they made their way down to Q Branch they could see the normal techs rushing about much faster than usual. As they made their way through the doors they understand why. Standing in the middle of the branch in front of the wall of screens looking every bit the Queen of the Branch was Q. 

Her left arm was stiff on her side, she was leaning slightly against the table that she was standing next too, just enough for the agents to notice but not enough for the techs to, her bruises while covered in makeup were dark in color but even with that she looked like a returning warrior of a successful battle watching over her troops. Her attention was torn from her tablet as the agents came through the door. The techs had frozen and were staring at the pair that had dragged Q out of the Branch just a few days ago. Her eyes narrowed at the agents.

“OO6, OO7 what are you doing here?” her voice echoed over the floor.

Lesser men would have froze at the Quartermaster’s tone and even Alec and James paused slightly in their steps toward the woman but soon they both were standing in front of her. Alec leaning against the desk, leaning into her space and James had moved that way he was leaning over her shoulder looking over her tablet slightly.

“We’re here to check up on you, Q. Since you ever so nicely turned down our generous offer to be your nurses for the weekend, we had to be sure you were ok.” Alec said a grin on his face.

Q looked up at the agent the look on her face completely unimpressed. “It’s not my fault that MI6’s best agents couldn’t keep up a simple tail. Perhaps you two should go through training again?”

Alec and James exchanged a sharp look but neither moved out of Q’s space.

“You don’t really mean that,” James purred leaning closer to Q. “We brought you back gifts.”

“Yes, because coffee and sugar will replace the thousands of dollars in tech that you two decimate on every mission.” Q said turning her attention back to the tablet in her hand.

“Q, Q, Q, you know we’re your favorites.” Alec said with a smile.

“Agent Trevelyan, if you and Agent Bond do not vacate my labs in the next few minutes, injured or not I will make you both leave.” Q said not even looking up.

“You wouldn’t do that,” James whispered into her ear. He quickly learned that was a mistake. A quick move by Q had James stumbling to the ground, clutching his nose, and Q back in the same position she was in before James spoke as if nothing had happened. It took only seconds. Alec took one look at the woman standing there as calm as could be and his packmate on the floor clutching his nose and burst out laughing.

James looked up glaring at Alec from the floor and Q just looked up slightly raising an eyebrow.

“Trevelyan since your packmate apparently cannot listen, I suggest you gather him and remove him from lab until he can learn how to behave.” Q replied coolly.

Alec looked down at James his eyes wide. James flicked his eyes to the far corner of the rafters and when Alec looked over as well he quickly realized that Scarlet was quite literally waiting in the wings. So as Alec moved forward to pull James up, the other wolf moved with him. The pair of wolves stood in front of Q and while Alec was making it look like he was pulling James reluctantly away; everyone could tell that it was just a game to the two of them.

“Have a good day Q,” Alec called back as he pulled James toward the door.

“See you soon,” James added with a grin.

Q waited until the pair of them had made it to the door of Q Branch before she spoke up, “OO6, OO7, thank you for the gift but in the future returning my equipment would suffice.” Her voice was just loud enough for the wolves to hear but obviously spoken that the mundanes couldn’t hear, making it as close to a private statement as she could get in her branch. A few of the shifters in the branch looked up with a quick glance between the wolves on their leader but no one commented as the wolves left the branch and the techs quickly returned to their tasks.

Q watched the two men leave a frown on her face. R stepped up next to the woman her mug in his hand. R waited until the woman acknowledged him standing there before he held out the mug for her to take. Q looked at the mug and stiffly transferred the tablet from her one hand to the other that way she could take the mug in her dominate uninjured hand. R looked at her and raised his eyebrow crossing his thin arms. Q returned the look and waited.

“You ok, boss?” R asked lowly.

“I’m fine, R” Q replied taking a sip of her coffee and setting it down on the table next to her.

“No offense boss, but that’s a load of shite.” R replied coolly.

“Excuse you?” Q said turning slightly to look at her second.

“You’re still injured, you’re worried about something, and your insistence to disappear and reappear injured has all of the Double Os up in arms.” The younger man said crossing his arms.

Q spun staring down the other man her blue eyes cold, “R this is beyond your clearance.”

“Ma’am you may be my boss, but you also are my friend, so either you give me a damn good reason for this or I stop standing between the Double Os and the info they want to know and start helping them.” R replied his voice calm but his eyes wide as he stared down the predator in front of him.

Q drew herself up to her full height staring down at the man, the other minions in Q Branch had went silent and were watching the pair. “R, I am saying this once so you better listen and understand this. There are few things above your clearance but if they are it is because they are untouchable and none of your business. If I am worried it is because of the problem that the Double O agents are going to be causing and the sheer number of hacking attempts that I have needed to turn away from my files that have come from my own branch, forcing me to wonder about the loyalty of the people that I trust with the nation’s security. So if you,” Q turned her attention to the techs staring at the pair in shock, “any of you, value your continued existence ... in your positions here I highly suggest you all let it go. I will not repeat myself and I’m sure that I don’t need to explain myself. Now get back to work.” The techs moved quickly tripping over themselves to make themselves useful again but R stared at Q for a minute studying her before he stiffly nodded his head and with a “ma’am” turned and went back to work.

Q sighed running her hand over her face and through her hair wincing internally as it pulled at her injuries. She then looked up at the rafters her eyes narrowed.

“Scarlet, front and center please.” Q called pointing to the area in front of her. The red kite spread her wings and flew down her form changing her wings changing becoming arms, her legs appearing, tail feathers shrinking, she raised her head and looked through her chestnut hair, her green eyes met the cool green blue eyes of Q.

“Yes, kitten?” the agent asked a happy smile on her face.

“OO3, I believe that my name is Q not kitten. I trust that it won’t be difficult for you to explain to the other OO’s my opinion on their attempts of spying within my branch.” Q replied coolly. “I have no problem with y’all stopping by but spying on me and intimidating my people to do the same will not be tolerated. Am I clear?”

“Perfectly ma’am,” the raptor shifter replied respectfully.

“Then if there is nothing else I suggest you find something to do...away from my branch.” Q replied narrowing her eyes at the other woman.

“Yes, ma’am.” Scarlett replied and quickly the woman swept out of the branch pulling out her phone and sending out a message to the other Double Os as soon as she was out of sight.

Q sighed and shook her head as her eyes swept over her branch. After the trio of scoldings everyone seemed to have finally went back to their work which was a nice change of pace but Q knew that there was little work that she was going to be able to do while at the front of the branch today. A sharp look to R had the man moving to take her place at the head of the branch and Q left heading off to her private office in the back corner of the branch. Q clicked the door open and stepped inside shutting and locking her door behind her. Q sighed resting her head fall back against the shut door in pain.

“Of course I can’t take any of the damn pain meds.” Q muttered to herself as she pushed herself off the door after a minute. “If only I had went straight to medical or waited just a little longer none of this would have happened.”

The woman sighed and made her way over to her desk and quickly lost herself in the work that always seemed to pile up no matter how many hours she put in at the branch. Hours past with the only sound being the clacking of computer keys, Q slowing down as time continued and the pain from her wounds getting worse and worse. She finally reached the point where she slumped back in her chair leaning away from her desk and letting out a frustrated cry of pain. Small miracles being that her office was soundproof. Her ribs were killing her and even though she was sitting down her ankle was still throbbing in pain. She just sat there with her eyes shut trying to block out the pain that way she could focus on her work when there was an alert on her computer. Q looked up and saw that it was the proximity alarm for her door meaning that there was someone who wanted to talk to her. A quick glance at the video feed for the camera outside her door saw that it was Eve staring up at the camera tapping her foot her hands full of takeout boxes. “Let me in Q” the woman was mouthing to the camera making it very clear that she was not going to be leaving anytime soon. Q sighed in annoyance and unlocked the door, unlatching the door and allowing Eve to push her way in.

“Ms. Moneypenny, what can I do for you today?” Q said straightening in her seat causing her ribs to twinge in pain.

“Q, I’m telling you call me Eve,” at the look Q gave her she continued, “At least when we’re alone, hun?”

“Very well, Eve, what brings you down to my office today? Other than scaring some of my techs of course.” Q replied.

“It’s not my fault that they're scared of snakes even if they’re in human form.” Eve said sitting down in the chair in front of Q putting the food on the desk.

“That is most of their natural instinct Eve, not to mention you are intimidating and deadly.” Q replied looking pointedly at the pair of stiletto heels that the woman was wearing that she knew had been modified not only to be extremely comfortable but also to work as deadly weapons if the agent in front of her was out of options.

“They work for you.” Eve said laughing slightly opening one of the food containers and pushing the other one toward Q a smile playing on her face.

“Yes well, it’s not like they actually know what that means do they?” Q replied a bitter smile on her face. Indicating to the food, “So I guess that mostly this was a hope to have someone to eat lunch with?”

“What a girl can’t have lunch with her friend?” Eve replied pointing with her fork to the food in front of Q, “now would you eat already God only knows last time you ate anything more than a bite or two of a stale pastry and a coffee.”

“Eve,” Q sighed but she too opened the food and started eating. The pair ate in silence for a little while but it didn’t take too long before Eve spoke again.

“So you know that your ‘discussion’ with the world’s most destructive agents is spread all through MI6, and your subsequent ‘discussions’ are working their ways through the ranks as well.” Eve said calmly as if she was talking about the weather. 

“Oh really; I imagine that there are a number of people wondering how to get OO7 on his knees then?” Q replied coolly raising an eyebrow to Eve a smug smile on her face as the other woman burst out laughing, clutching her stomach laughing.

When Eve was finally finished wiping away tears that had formed in the corners of her eyes, “that is perfect Q, absolutely bloody perfect. Almost as perfect as your take down was. How did you do that by the way?”

“It seems that both of them have it in their minds that I am some sort of damsel who couldn’t take care of herself and so underestimate me to their error. But as satisfying as that was it’s not doing me that much good is it?” Q replied slowly.

“No its not, while my lying to them was entertaining and you know that if they were halfway sane at the time they would have seen right through it. No don’t argue you know that both of them were too blind with worry and concern for you to do anything about me lying to them.” Eve replied shooting the Quartermaster a harsh look, “You’re in trouble; you’ve only been Q for a year, you’ve been on half a dozen missions, and you’ve already been visibly injured twice. You know as well as I do that our agents are trained to notice stuff like that. It’s a full on miracle that your branch hasn’t started digging until now and now you have both them and the agents looking. That’s not a good sign and like it or not your threats are only going to make this worse.”

“Shit, shit, shit, shit,” Q sighed her hand running through her short hair. “I know, trust me I know, but it’s instinct get my back up and protect what is mine. Protect my secrets and I keep myself alive and safe, not the best way of doing that but I couldn’t think of anything else to do.”

“So what are you going to do about it?” Eve replied calmly studying the upset woman.

“I’m going to run my branch, keep the worst of those damned Double Os out, and keep my head down.” Q replied her anger at the situation clear, “and pray to gods that don’t exist that this blows over sooner rather than later.”

Eve shook her head but stood heading for the door but paused at there looking back for a second, “I hope that works Q.”

“Yeah me too.” Q replied turning back to her computer.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Q' still injured and Alec and James are nosy this should go well

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took so long to finish this I had honestly thought I would have it done earlier in the summer but my thesis work and internship took up way more time than I had thought, here it is though. Hopefully people still want to read this

Chapter 3

The rest of that day past in a pain filled blur for Q as she forces her way through the rest of the ever increasing in length day. It isn’t until well after 11 that she finally packed up to leave the building; only years of experience keeping herself upright and moving forward as she made her way through the halls. Most of the employees have already left other than Q Branch’s night staff running on standby if any of the agents abroad need a hand late in the night, they can normally hold the fort until Q, R, or another higher ranking member were able to get online. They all kept their attention on their computers as she walked by them the surveillance video from earlier in the day fresh on their computers. Q made her way through the building and out into the parking garage, her head down and limping as the pain in her ankle was near unbearable.

“Q, you aren’t going home alone are you?” James’ voice rang out through the empty parking garage.

Q sighed and if anything, her head fell farther down before she straightened again turning toward the voice and sure enough Bond, in his human form, and Alec, in his wolf, were waiting in the shadows just beyond what a mundane could see in the dark. Alec’s dark coat making him blend into the shadows his eyes the only thing shining out.

“Agent Bond, Trevelyan, shouldn’t you both have left hours ago?” Q replied her voice quiet.

“Q, you can barely stand surely you aren’t thinking that you can drive home by yourself?” James pointed out looking at the woman who was shaking with the effort to stay standing.

“That's cause she’s not.” Eve said stepping out of the shadows from behind Q, Bob and Jack flanking the dark skinned woman. Bob moved forward and quickly wrapped his arm around Q’s waist supporting her injured side allowing the exhausted woman to sag against him. “As you can see OO6, OO7, Q already has her protectors for the night.”

“Deja vu, much.” Q said looking up at the older agents.

“Cub, what did you get involved with now?” The older agent said looking down at the woman in his arms.

“Just the usual old man, nothing new.” Q replied tiredly.

“That isn’t a good thing pup,” Jack said moving to her other side. The paternal tone that the pair were using was enough for James and Alec to keep their hackles down with Q looking trustingly to the pair of agents. “You promised years ago, you would keep yourself out of the line of fire.”

“You also promised that you would bring back all of my tech, and I do believe that that hasn’t happened either.” Q huffed.

“Yours should be much easier to follow,” Bob said slowly moving toward the SUV that Q had. Leaving James and Alec standing behind in surprise with Eve.

Q snorted in response to that directive but made no further comments as the scariest pair of Double So bundled her into the back seat of the car. Bob settling back there with her and Jack taking in the driver’s seat. Jack nodded to the trio the agents still staring in shock before he drove off.

James and Alec stood there in surprise for a moment and then rounded on Eve who was still standing there calm as could be.

“Q is perfectly safe with those two, no they are not threats to your intentions of courting the poor girl, they see her as either a sister or daughter, yes they do know where to take her, and yes Q has more time off since once again she has proven that she is incapable of limiting her time her when she needs too.” Eve said smugly and then turned on her heel and walked away leaving the men there staring.

“Did that really just happen?” Alec asked.

“Yeah I think so,” James said looking down at his packmate.

“Well, crap.”

“Are we going to try and get info from Bob and Jack?”

“We need to talk about this death wish of yours.” Alec replied looking up almost insulted at James.

James just laughed and the pair left, they had a lot to think about.

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“Q really,” Bob said looking at the woman slumped in the seat next to him.

“For someone who was as good of an agent as you were, you are really not doing yourself any favors now that you’re stuck on desk duty.” Jack continued.

Q sighed again ignoring both of the men, shutting her eyes against their chatter and they quickly realized that attempting to get through to her tonight wasn’t going to happen.

“My place or yours?” Bob asked looking at his old friend.

“Yours,” Jack said making a turn; “the kids are in town, on holiday from university and MI5 or not Beth will not have an injured agent in the house if they are home. Not to mention she will just end up bugging Q trying to get her to shift sides.”

Bob snorted, amused by the idea of MI5 tempting the Quartermaster over to work for them. He turned and looked over the seat back to Q who had at some point in their already short drive had curled up into a small ball her breathe even and slow as she slept.

“That can’t be good for her ribs.” Jack said checking the rearview mirror.

“Probably not,” Bob agreed.

“If we wake her though it would be worse.”

“Yep.”

“So just let her sleep til I can drop you off?”

“Yep”

With that the two men drifted into silence as they drove. It took very little time with the little late night traffic that was around and soon enough they were pulling up to the old converted warehouse that held Bob’s flat. Jack shut off the vehicle and turned around looking at the woman curled up on his back seat. Q hadn’t even twitched when the car stopped still in the same position that she was in when they had left headquarters. The men exchanged a look, it had been quite a while since they had been called to babysit the younger feline and waking her without he attempting to kill them will be a challenge.

“Are you two going to just blankly stare at me or are you going to tell me how you plan on getting me inside without your doorman saying something?” Q muttered her voice rough with sleep.

Bob and Jack just exchanged a look a mix of fond and exasperated. “With how much I pay for this place no one is going to say a thing.” Bob said.

Jack smirked at his gruff friend, “Relax old man, we all know you’ve paid for your privacy. We all have. Now Q what do you say about standing?”

Q blinked up at the canine shifter and slowly uncurled from her position wincing and hissing in pain. Bob and Jack both growled low under their breaths with Q’s hiss. It took a few minutes but finally Q was able to straighten and she turned so that she was now facing out of the SUV. She paused her arm around her waist, face grimaced in pain, her hand in a tight ball on the seat.

“Q?” Jack asked, watching the woman with worry echoing across his face.

“Fine, I’m fine,” she bit out breathing harshly as she forced herself to remain straight in the seat.

“Cub?” Bob said calmly watching her worried.

“I’m fine.” She said narrowing her eyes at the man.

“hmmhm.” Jack hummed reaching forward and supporting the woman, sort of almost pulling her forward to help her out of the car. Q pushed herself forward moving with Jack’s help out of the car swaying slightly as she stood. Bob reached past Q and grabbed her bag shouldering it, shutting and locking the car before reaching out to help Jack support the woman.

“I’m injured but not an invalid.” Q spat but still leaned into the men’s hold.

“Pup, relax and let us help you, you’re dead on your feet.” Jack said calmly.

Q sighed slightly but accepted it and together the trio made their way into the building. The doorman looked at the trio his eyes widening for a moment but a quick look from Bob had him schooling his features and holding the door for them. The trio crossed the lobby and entered the elevator. 

“I’m giving him a tip when I leave,” Jack said, as they slowly ascended. “At very least to make sure that Q won’t be bothered.”

“I’d appreciate that.” Bob said nodding.

“Give a computer and I can make sure that no one knows that I’m here.” Q said.

“Let me do it my way for today pup you can do your thing tomorrow when you’ve actually had some rest.” Jack said indulgently.

They reached Bob’s floor and together slowly made their way down his door. Miracles of all miracles they didn’t have to go far and quickly enough Bob was pushing the door open and guiding Q inside.

“Remind me to improve your security system.” Q said as she shuffled inside.

“I am my security system.” Bob grumbled.

“I think that’s Q’s point.” Jack said chuckling as he helped Q down the hall to the spare bedroom.

Bob chuckled and moved ahead of the pair setting Q’s bag down in the room and setting the bed up that way the woman could lay down without putting any extra stress on her ribs, before he turned toward the kitchen.

Jack helped Q into the room and got her onto the bed. He bent and pulled off her boots and tucked the blankets around her. He then dug through her bag until he found the pill bottles from medical. Jack shook out the antibiotic and pain reliever, handed them to Q and waited for her to take them. She did so and then her eyes continued to close and soon she fell asleep. Jack waited for a moment to make sure that she actually was asleep before he slipped out of the room moving into the kitchen.

Bob looked up as Jack entered the doorway. “How is she?”

“Asleep for now.” Jack answered. “She hadn’t even opened her painkillers.”

“No way she would take anything if any of us were on a mission.” Bob said shaking his head, “that explains why Eve told me to keep her here until she’s better healed.”

“She’s too stubborn for her own good.” Jack agreed, “Did you know she was still going on missions?”

“No, I thought she stopped ages ago.” Bob said pulling a pair of glasses out of the cupboard.

“When she joined TSS and if not then when she helped M create Q Branch.” Jack said finishing Bob’s thought. “What the hell is M thinking?”

Bob shook his head pouring the drinks and turning back to his friend leaning on the counter handing over the other drink. “I don’t know if it’s M, would you be able to stop? Retire and take a desk job?”

“Nah, but neither could you.” Jack said calmly, “We’ve been doing this for far longer than Q has though. So why in the world is someone who is the head of Q Branch still going into the field?”

“I don’t know,” Bob said looking toward the door, “she won’t tell us either.”

“Yeah,” Jack said downing his drink, “I’ll check in tomorrow for you. You still have one of her go bags right?”

Bob nodded downing his drink quickly, “yeah I still have one, and someone needs to keep mum happy.”

Jack laughed, “Do you call her that to her face?”

Bob just smiled. Jack shook his head, grabbing his keys and left. Bob watched his friend leave and set the locks on the door. His gaze flickered to the spare room and then to his door. The elder man shook his head, toed off his boots to the corner, tossed his belt onto the chair, grabbed his spare blankets and pillow from the closet and set it up on the couch. He wasn’t going to hover over Q but he stilled wanted to be close in case she needed him. He settled onto the couch but his mind wouldn’t shut down. Q was sleeping soundly he could hear that, but she was still the focus of his thoughts. 

He could remember when she first joined MI6 and the first time he met her. This young woman; angry, scared, and trying to prove herself. She just showed up on his mission once, ready and willing to put herself on the line. Sent by M as backup since Jack had been injured and had to be sent back to England. While she was told to be sure that he kept his ass alive and if he did say so himself she took that far too seriously, he spent a good portion of the time pulling her ass back out of the fire. She kept putting herself in danger to help him. The problem being it wasn’t like the damn girl was incompetent in fact she was insanely good at it, if she didn’t have such an apparent death wish he would’ve recommended her for the Double O program. It was when they were on their way back from the mission when he finally confronted the girl about it. She was evasive but it doesn’t take a genius to figure it out. It was obvious the she wasn’t British, but he couldn’t place her accent beyond that. She was new to MI6 and M was trying to find the best place for this wayward kitten, and he was being used to test her, both her abilities and her loyalty. Not the first time that M did this but it was the first time that he finished the mission and still liked the person when he was done. Q had somehow wormed her way into his heart. 

It completely surprised M when he came in and supported this newbie. “She’s good and has the potential to be great.” Robert said, “but I want to be the one to train her.”

M raised her eyebrow studying him and he just stared back but she eventually realized that he was serious and she agreed saying that she had to be trained by Boothroyd too.

Jack was not impressed when Bob went to visit him, actually saying that he was getting too old if he was this attached to a baby agent. It took weeks of him training Q before they even met and when it finally happened it was like watching oil and water. Probably due to their other instincts thanks to their shifted forms, they hated each other. Q saw Jack as an outdated relic who wasn’t willing to consider new ideas or techniques. Jack saw Q as a cocky upstart who was going to get herself and others killed her first mission out. It was a mess. Q mouthed off, argued sometimes for just the sake of arguing, and when she was losing her mind just lost herself in TSS, building and hacking.

It took about a year before Jack and Q were assigned on the same mission. Bob had fully expected one of them to end up shooting the other before they came back but he was sent out on another mission while they were gone. When he got back both of them were sitting on his couch drinking, laughing, and playing cards. From that day on Jack was just as protective and started training Q with Bob. Both of them were ridiculously proud and relieved when Q left the field or at least that was what they had thought; thinking that Q would be safer but now…...

Bob’s head jerked up pulling him out of his thoughts. Coming from the spare room was whines and whimpers, even muttering. He quickly moved off the couch making sure to make some noise as he pushed the door open. Q was shaking in the bed, tears running down her face. She was asleep Bob could tell that but whatever she was dreaming about wasn’t helping her get any rest that was for sure. He stepped forward up the bed reaching out to her shoulder, saying her names as he reached her. Q jerked upright her hand closing tight around his wrist trying to pull him away from her.

“Q, Q relax it’s me,” Bob said soothingly, “it’s Bob. Relax cub.”  
Q breathed out looking at him, her eyes wide, terrified, breathing harshly.

“You’re safe, you’re in spare room, no one is going to hurt you. I’m here to protect you, nothing is going to hurt you.” Bob said calmly meeting her eyes. “Q, relax you’re safe.”

Q was still breathing harshly, her pulse still jumping through her skin, her eyes on Bob but not really seeing him.

“Q, Q are you back with me cub?” Bob asked worried.

Q blinked and kind of shook her head, taking a deep breath, releasing it with a sharp shudder, and looking at Bob.

“OO1, what am I doing here?” Q asked trying to use her Quartermaster, ‘you’re going to answer me’ voice but failing royally.

“Really Q, you’re half dead cub.” Bob said his look unimpressed. “No way I was letting you go home by yourself and I’m not stupid enough to try and get around your security system when you’re half comatose.”

“Oh,” Q said slumping back on her pillows, wincing slightly as it jarred her ribs.

“Cub how were you able to leave the other day but you’re in this much pain now?” Bob asked.

“Adrenaline plus medical’s pain meds help a lot.” Q said shutting her eyes before continuing, “and it doesn’t help when you end up falling at least twice once you leave medical. That didn’t help anything.”

Bob growled a deep noise better suited for his shifted form than his human one and scanned Q his eyes searching.

“I jarred my ribs, my ankle isn’t healing half as quickly as it should be and I gave myself a few more bruises that’s all.”

Bob shook his head, ‘this cub’s stubbornness is going to be the death of me.’ he thought. Out loud he asked, “You want to tell me what the nightmare was about?”

Q’s eyes cracked open, “Yeah sure and when we’re done we’ll braid each other’s hair, paint our nails, and talk about boys.”

Bob chuckled at Q’s tone, but not at her argument. “It could help cub.”

“Mason, you don’t want this conversation any more than I do,” Q said. “Now leave it and let me sleep.”

Bob shook his head and shifted, in his place there was a large grizzly bear. The bear sniffed Q and looked her over before settling on the floor next to Q’s bed to guard her over the night.

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Alec and James were sitting in their office but they weren’t doing paperwork they were doing their best to do some research into their Quartermaster and fellow Double Os. They could tell that there was some form of connection there they just couldn’t find it.

“How is it that there isn’t anything about Q anywhere?” Alec asked.

‘Ding’ a chat box popped up in the screen.

James leaned over Alec’s shoulder looking at the screen. Alec looked up but clicked on the box and the screen opened.

‘Because it’s above your clearance.’ - Q, the screen read.

Alec and James exchanged a look frowning, and the computer dinged again.

‘Now cut the crap and let me rest. It’s too annoying to keep stopping your tries.’ - Q

“How did she know?” Alec asked.

‘Because I have a warning setup if anyone tries to access any of my files. Now cut it out or all tech will work against you and yes that includes your car.’ - Q.

“Q you wouldn’t do that.” James said.

‘Don’t try me.’ -Q.

Alec sent James a look. “Very well, Q, we’ll stop.” James frowned but nodded.

‘James?’ - Q.

“We’ll stop Q; you get some rest.” James said looking at the computer camera.

The chat box stayed up for a moment and James just continued to stare at the camera waiting. The chat box closed and so did the screen that they were using, leaving James and Alec staring at the desktop.

“Well that went well.” Alec said leaning back looking at James.

“We should’ve expected Q to have some sort of alert.” James replied.

“What now?” Alec asked.

James frowned looking away thinking. Alec tilted his head looking at his packmate.

“What are you thinking?”

“Bob and Jack obviously know more than what they’ve been telling us about Q. Let’s go see what Jack is willing to share.” James said standing.

Alec stood shaking his head but following his friend. The pair moved through the halls quickly. They paused entering one of the lounges. Instead of Jack, there was a large eurasian lynx lying across the couch. It raised its head looking at Alec and James as Alec shut the door behind them. It tilted its head and shifted. Soon there was a man, with brown eyes and hair, taller than Bond but shorter than Alec, about as muscular as James so less so than Alec. The man just stayed lounging on the couch but crossed his arms looking at the pair of wolves with raised eyebrows.

“Johnston,” James said moving to the chair across from the lynx.

“Bond, Trevelyan,” Johnston said studying them. Alec moved so he was leaning behind James so the pair were watching the lynx. Johnston watched the pair warily. They waited the hunters studying each other carefully.

“What do you two want?” Johnston asked.

James and Alec exchanged a look and Alec frowned.

“What do you know about what’s been going on around here, Edward?” Alec asked.

“Q’s injured and home healing because if she was here she wouldn’t rest enough for her to heal.” OO9 said moving his hands behind his head. “You two were the two that dragged her off to medical to begin with and you two are now trying to get us to research and protect her.”

“You ran into Scarlett.” James said calmly.

“Yep, she was on her way out, I was on my way in.” Edward replied. “She seems to be worried that you two are going to cause more problems with your searching.”

“Scar doesn’t have much faith in us does she?” Alec said leaning forward and hitting the back of James’ head lightly causing the blond to lean back to look at the darker wolf.

“Doesn’t sound like it.” James replied.

“Have we done anything to piss her off recently?” Alec asked.

“No she just knows the two of you.” Johnston said shaking his head. “Now what do you want? I just want to rest. I just got back from this little hellhole in the Middle East.”

James and Alec exchanged a look again.

“Do you know anything about what Q’s been doing?” Alec asked.

“No, I know I’ve heard that Q’s been missing for a day or two at a time on longer or slow missions.” Edward said, “the way she runs missions I’m relatively certain that she was an agent at some point. But I’m not sure about what she’s been doing lately. Don’t really care as long as it doesn’t cause me to die.”

“Have Jack and Bob always been close and protective of Q?” James asked.

Edward looked at the wolves and started laughing; Bond and Alec both frowned. “They treat Q like she was their daughter. If you two want to court Q they aren’t competition but they might kill the two of you.”

“That’s not what he asked.” Alec replied.

OO9 paused thinking before he answered this time. “Yeah, they were the two that trusted Q the fastest. They seemed to skip the whole let’s test the newbie that we all did when she started running missions as R.”

“Any idea why?” Alec asked.

“They never said and we all know that Q plays everything close to the chest.” Edward said with a shrug and smirk.

Alec and James frowned they had been hoping for far more information but Edward seemed determined to be tight lipped or he just didn’t know anything.

“I guess that you two want me to help you dig up info on Q?” Edward said looking at the wolves smugly.

“It would be appreciated.” James said coolly.

“What’s in it for me?” Johnston said studying the wolves.

“Besides helping your fellow agents?” Alec asked. Edward just raised an eyebrow.

“If we know what’s been going on with Q then we can better protect her and a safe protected Quartermaster means that we’re all better off.” James said.

“Are we sure that this isn’t just the rest of us helping you two court Q?” Edward asked.

The wolves stared at the lynx unblinkingly.

“Do you honestly think that we are that mindless?” Alec asked coolly.

“No but I think that you’re both misconstruing your personal overprotectiveness with our duty to protect Q.” Edward said sitting up to stare down the pair. “You’re both annoyed that there is something that you don’t know about in MI6. Which if I do say so myself is insanely self-centered, we’re an intelligence organization, your dimwits.”

Alec and James both stiffened their eyes flashing gold.

“There has to be plenty of stuff that is beyond our purview,” Johnston said. “We’re hired guns with a death sentence, not M.”

“We’re well aware that we aren’t M,” James growled. “We understand that there is much beyond our clearance. However, we are within our rights to be worried about the person in charge of bringing our collective asses home from whatever hellhole that we were last sent off to.”

Alec’s shoulders were hunched, his eyes narrowed and his muscles tight as he glared at the lynx.

“If that was the only reason, I would have no problem but the pair of you haven’t been subtle about the fact that you want Q to be more than your Quartermaster.” Edward said standing looking down at the wolves; forcing Alec to straighten behind Alec.

“Do you honestly believe that we can’t compartmentalize?” James asked reaching over and putting a hand on Alec’s leg to calm the other wolf.

“Have you? Are you?” Johnston asked. “Cause that’s not what I’m seeing.”

“What are you seeing then?” Alec grumbled.

“A pair of wolves who want to court their boss and are using our concern over Q to give them an advantage to get Q into their bed.” OO9 replied. “Not that it could be that hard. No one advances that fast.”

James surged forward his hand closing around the other agent’s throat driving him toward the wall. Pinning him growling. “You take that back, you swine. There is no reason to insult Q by insinuating that she got to her position on her back.”

Alec was growling cracking his knuckles slightly moving forward. OO9 was choking from James’ grip. The door to the room opened. Heels clicked across the floor, tight quick steps, the sound causing the men to freeze. Eve stepped up to the men, her eyes slit, her body tense.

“Johnssston you are witthh meee.” she hissed her animal form on the surface. “Jamessss, Alec fffind Tanner. You’re hisss problem.”

James flicked his eyes to the bush viper shifter for a second before turning back to OO9. “This is not over,” he hissed into the other man’s ear making his point very clear before releasing the other man letting him drop to the ground in a heap. Edward glared up at James coughing slightly but with a sharp tap of her toe, Eve redirected his attention and the man pulled himself and followed, passing in front of a growling Alec as he went. 

The wolves waited a few minutes before they too left the lounge and headed toward Tanner’s office. Anyone that past them in the halls seemed to shrink to the side, even the mundanes, them all trying to avoid the angry predators. They entered Tanner’s office in a huff, throwing themselves into the plush chairs in front of his desk. 

Tanner stumbled in his typing but ignored the wolves for a moment before closing the file he was working on and turning to the pair. He looked at the still tense wolves and sighed. He held up a hand to them, “Don’t tell me I don’t even want to know.”

James and Alec relaxed a fraction.

“But I do have a mission for you two.” he continued passing over a pair of folders.

“We just got back,” Alec said grabbing the file reluctantly. James frowned and swiped open the file annoyance clouding his face.

“I am aware of that and if your expertise and contacts were not absolutely necessary I would not have even considered it.”

“In other words this syndicate is a group of werewolf wannabes?” Alec interrupted flicking through his file.

Tanner sighed nodding, “yes, as far as we can tell they’re hoping to recreate the Beast of Gévaudan.”

“Great, just great, as if wolves don’t get a bad enough wrap.” James muttered leafing through the file before looking up at Tanner. “When do we leave?”

“Three hours, you’re stopping by Q branch first and then you’re flying out.” Tanner said.

James and Alec stood and left heading down to Q Branch. Tense but moving quickly. R looked up as they entered. He had two packs in front of him waiting for the wolves. 

“Here you go,” he said calmly, passing the packs over. “Normal kits, personal Walther PPK handgun for you Bond, knives and exploding watch for you Alec. I’m sorry to say that M has not authorized any more explosives, something about being a bit too close to some allies’ national treasures. However, knowing you, you’ll improvise anyway. Just do me a favor and try and stay away from the tourist spots. Here are two comms, please do try to avoid depositing them in any alcoholic beverages this time around. I’ll be in your ear for this one. Have a good flight.”  
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It took two and a half weeks before James and Alec finally made their way back to MI6, mission successful, covered in bruises and scrapes, a terror cell now out of commission. They checked in with M and found out that Edward had been sent on a long term undercover mission and was not coming back to headquarters for at least a year. Apparently Eve heard more of his comments than he had been expecting and comments that he had made at other times and she took it upon herself to make sure that he learned his lesson loud and clear, no one insults Q with no reason, just off of mission or not. He was being made an example of and was not going to be enjoying his time abroad. 

Eve was tight lipped about whether Q was back or not though telling the two that if they wanted to know so bad they could go down to Q Branch themselves. Apparently every Double O once they heard the news about Q’s most recent injury were then trying to ply Eve for information as soon as they were back in town and she was blaming Bond and Alec for that. In fact, as she scolded the pair it sounded like she was hissing at them too, never a good sign. The pair of wolves made a strategic retreat down to Q Branch.

They walked into Q Branch and paused for a moment as the room went dead silent as the door shut behind them, all of the boffins turning and staring at the wolves in their midst. Alec and James froze looking at each other, standing at attention.

“Where do you two get off with instigating an organization wide fishing expedition?” Q’s voice rang out cold as ice, her eyes flashing yellow. The sea of employees split and Q stalked forward her heels clicking on the tile floor. The bruises and limp were gone, she was wearing a black pencil skirt, white button up, and black jacket. The only spot of color her teal belt and heels. She was standing straight and tall again, her anger clear. The men stared in surprise and fear as she stalked forward. “Well?” she hissed.

The wolves started obviously been lost in thought because Q was now standing right in front of them. Her arms were crossed and she was tapping her foot slightly starring the pair down. Alec shuffled his feet slightly moving behind James a little. Q sent the Russian wolf a glare before refocusing on James. James too wanted to step back and out of Q’s firing line but it was obvious that that wasn’t going to be happening. 

“That wasn’t our intention.” James said smoothly.

“No? It wasn’t?” Q hissed “You didn’t intend on having all of the agents and most of Q Branch trying to access files that are sealed for a reason. “You didn’t intend to attempt to violate the little privacy that I have barely managed to maintain in this job? You didn’t intend for me to suddenly have to seriously wonder about the loyalties of those that I work with since everyone is digging for information, more so than usual? What is it that you intended to do then? I would love to hear it.”

Alec and James both stepped back slightly, their faces crestfallen.

“We really didn’t mean for that to happen,” Alec said.

“We were just worried,” James continued.

“You were worried.” Q said slowly each world heavy on her tongue, her disbelief clear.

“Yes we were worried,” James continued stronger raising his head. “Q you had just came back half dead, and as far as we knew the Quartermaster was not to be sent out on any missions. Excuse us for being worried when the one person who is willing and able to put up with our idiocy comes back severely injured.”

Alec continued, “If us digging into your privacy or computers allows us to be more at ease or allows us to help protect you, then we’re sorry but we are not going to stop.”

“I don’t need your protection!” Q growled, losing her cool, throwing her hands up. “Do you honestly expect me to have the position that I have if I could not take care of myself? That was one event in a million, why are you making the decision that I cannot take care of myself off of one decision?”

“Really, it didn’t look like you could handle everything last time we saw you, you were nearly about to collapse.” James replied his tone harsh.

Alec quickly realized that this was going to dissolve much faster than anyone really wanted and stepped between Q and James, pushing James away from Q. R came up from behind and pulled Q away slightly. 

“That’s enough” R interrupted, “Alec, James leave your gear whatever is left of it with Mary, Q I need your help with something.” He pulled Q until she started following him out of the main area and a young boffin stepped forward with a tray looking at James and Alec with fear in her eyes.

“I’ll take your gear please,” she said in a meek tone.

Alec nudged James and he dropped his gear onto the table in a small battered pile and stalked off out of Q Branch. Alec sighed and placed his remaining gear in a much neater but still small pile before turning to follow his mate.

OO6*OO7*OO10*OO6*OO7*OO10*OO6*OO7*OO10*OO6*OO7*OO10*OO6*OO7*OO10

That night it was late by time Q left Q Branch, walking down the street her heels replaced for flats and a trench coat wrapped around her. Her bag she held tightly and it bounced off her thigh as she walked her mind a million miles away going over the events of the day and the intel that had finally came in. As she past the alleyway James and Alec slipped out of the shadows following Q. Alec was not happy about this decision but he could only argue with James for so long. Q didn’t seem to notice them but they were trailing at almost a block away trying to keep out of sight. They regretted that decision when a black van skidded to a stop in front of Q its door opening and three men rushing out.

Q dodged their initial grab and grabbed the leader, throwing him in front of the other two to buy herself some time. James and Alec shifted and ran closing the gap. Shots rang out and the van and one of the would be kidnappers took off running. The other two still tried to grab Q but with one shot the one was on the ground holding his shattered knee and screaming. That was the last straw for the other one and he took off running just as Alec and James reached Q. She had the wounded man pinned and was handcuffing him from behind, her one foot pushing down on his knee holding him still.

Alec kept running past Q after the fleeing kidnappers and James paused.

“Bring at least one of them back alive could you OO7, I would like to know who is behind this.” Q said calmly pulling her phone out of her pocket.

James nodded and took off behind his packmate, tail high and fangs bared.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A lot happens in this chapter, we learn about Q and her past, people get closer, and more

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm Alive! Sorry this took so long Master's thesis took priority and now this is longer than my Master's thesis so there's that. Not terribly sure how to think about that. Hope you enjoy this chapter, it was a bear to get finished.

That would be kidnaping of Q seemed to mark a change in the trio’s relationship. James and Alec stopped being as paranoid about Q’s welfare and she seemed to stop fighting with the wolves when they did worry.  No one was saying that everything was perfect but it was clear that things were changing at MI6.  And not everyone was sure what to make of that.

 

Q branch were especially worried about Q.  She was almost abducted on her walk home and for some reason she now was tolerating Alec and James.  Ok the last one might not be cause for alarm normally but with all of the bickering that had followed the trio before this new behavior was worrying.  R started trying to intercept the wolves whenever they would come to Q branch.  He would distract them and one of the others would distract Q.  This did not work for very long.  In fact, it only worked for about two missions before Alec and James started sneaking into Q branch.  And they never would come empty handed, food, coffee, treats, enemy tech, and little gifts, Q’s workspace was slowly getting filled by these little tokens of affection. 

 

That change had some in Q Branch worried.  R especially.  Things were changing and he wasn’t sure if it was necessarily for the better.  

 

“Ms Moneypenny, would it be possible for you to meet me for lunch tomorrow?”  R asked standing at attention in front of her desk.

 

She looked up at the bird standing in front of her desk and studied him for a moment before nodding.  “I’ll be free at noon. Tanner will be with M so I’ll be free for a few hours then. Meet me at the front hall”

 

R nodded and left leaving Eve rather confused and looking forward to lunch with the boffin.

 

Q looked up when R reentered Q Branch.  “Everything ok?” she asked.

 

“Yeah everything’s fine,” he replied taking his position at her right, unlocking the computer.  “Just a paperwork mix up.  They do realize that it would be more secure to use electronic communication right?”

 

Q chuckled slightly shaking her head. “They are stuck in their ways, be happy M has let me make this many changes.”

 

R snorted, “this place must have been in the stone age then.”

 

“Let’s just say that the pervious Q had a much different way of looking at intelligence than I do.”  Q said.

 

“It seems that some of the agents are still stuck in the dark ages too, with how they care for the equipment and how much they listen to us.”  R muttered.

 

Q shook her head slightly.  “As long as they listen to us when it matters and come back alive, I’m willing to work around the missing equipment.”  At R’s incredulous look, “there is a certain level of instinct that comes to play when in the field, an instinct that we back here aren’t necessarily able to notice, an instinct that can’t be taught, and an instinct can save a life or just a mission.  If we start valuing blind obedience and replaceable technology over agents’ lives, then we need to leave this business.”

 

“That’s not what I meant,” R stuttered, “I value the agents, they just can be so bullheaded.  And we put so many hours into these tools that see maybe one mission before they are destroyed.  Some agents seem to make it their goal to destroy every piece of tech we give them.  It was an expression of frustration that’s all.”

 

“I know R,” Q said smiling.  “That’s just how MI6 works sometimes though.  And speak of the devils.  What do you want now?”  Q said not even looking up at the wolves looming over her desk. R backed away giving the wolves a dark look going back to his desk.

 

“Who says we want anything?” Alec asked almost bouncing as he waited for Q to look up. 

 

Q sighed and raised her eyes saving her work.  In their hands was a huge plate of food and her coffee mug.  A quick glance to her desk showed that apparently her mug had been moved earlier without her realizing. 

 

“How long have you been down here?” Q asked tilting her head at the wolves.

 

“Long enough to realize that you had missed lunch today and were well on your way to missing dinner.”  James said placing the plate down in front of Q.  Q frowned and pulled up her clock her eyes widening in surprise at the hour before turning to look at the food.

 

“My mug please, Alec.” Q said looking at the wolf.

 

“Not until you agree to take a break, kitten.” Alec said.

 

Q glared, “I have to get this finished.”

 

“No, you have to eat something before you pass out.” James argued.

 

“I am not going to pass out, now give me my coffee.”  Q said her tone broking on a growl.

 

“Nope,” Alec said smiling.

 

Q stared between the two wolves and sighed.  She locked her station and stood picking up the plate as she did.  Alec and James exchanged a smile before they followed Q out of the room and into the Q branch break room.

 

Q sat heavily onto the uncomfortable plastic chair and looked up at the wolves. “Happy now?”

 

“Very,” Alec said handing over the coffee and collapsing onto the chair to her right and James leaned against the cupboards watching over the pair. 

 

“You are going to watch me eat?” Q said slowly, raising her eyebrow at the wolves.

 

“How else are we going to be sure that you actually take a break?”  James asked calmly.

 

“You could just take my word for it.”  Q said as she took a bite.

 

“And deprive ourselves of your lovely company?” Alec asked theatrically.

 

Q just sighed shaking her head a small smile playing on her face.  “How long are you going to do this?”

 

“As long as it takes until you stop glaring at us every time we come into your domain, kitten.” James said.

 

“ _Kotehok_ , you know you love us.” Alec purred nudging her with his shoulder. 

 

Q snorted, shaking her head and taking another bite saving her from having to respond.  The wolves exchanged a pleased look as the she focused on her meal.  After a few moments, James spoke up.

 

“So what are you working on now that has you so focused?”

 

Q raised her head tilting it as she looked at the wolf, studying him a moment before replying. “A tracker that can send a distress call without the agents influence without being obvious it is a tracker.”  At the agents look she continued.  “For example, you both are always wearing your dog tags, even when you aren’t supposed to while on mission, so this tracker would be added to the dog tags but if your health stats change or if it is removed from your person it will send a distress signal to Q branch, you wouldn’t need to do anything.  Although there always could be a physical distress signal that you could set off before it gets to that point….” At this point Q trailed off obviously thinking.

 

“So it would need to be something that the agent wears at all times?” Alec asked confused.

 

“Yeah it would be, but all of the agents have something.  You all are a superstitious bunch.”  Q said with a shrug.

 

“If it keeps us alive is it really superstition?”  James asked.

 

“I would like to think that it is your skill, years of experience, and my technology that has been keeping you alive, not luck or some superstition.”

 

“Of course, _kotehok_ , but you can’t say that luck isn’t helpful too?”  Alec said smiling.

 

“I’m pretty sure it’s the only way that you two are still alive.” Q said shaking her head finishing her food.

 

“Q!  Q!”  R called rushing into the break room.  Q’s head snapped up and the wolves tensed staring at him their hands trailing to their guns.

 

“What happened?”  Q demanded standing.

 

“There’s a fire in R&D and we can’t get it to go out.”  R explained.

 

“Is it contained?  Are there any injuries?  Why aren’t the sprinklers working?  Or the fire suppression system?” Q said rushing from the room with R on her tail.  James and Alec were right behind them.

 

“A few burns, medical has already been contacted, the room is shut off and it should be fire proof, it was a water-resistant weapon that they were testing and as for the fire suppression system…I have no idea.”  R explained in a rush.

 

“Shit,” Q swore, “Ok you get into the system find the error in the fire suppression system.  Is everyone out of the room?”

 

“Yeah,” R said rushing over to the closest terminal.

 

“Ok, then I am going to engage the air lock on the room, that should mean that the fire will burn itself out.” Q said over her shoulder as she disappeared down the hall to R&D, Alec and James still on her heals.

 

“I already tried that.” R called to Q who at this point was running down the nearest hallway.  James and Alec close on her heals.

 

“Shit!” Q swore as she neared the door.  The fire that had started rather small had taken up most of the room.   Even with the room sealed heat still radiating into the hall.  Q skidded to a halt in front of the small console just past the door.  Her fingers flew over the keys before swearing in frustration as an error message appeared on the screen.  She spun toward the door ignoring the flames that were coming ever closer as she forced the door to the door override open.  Alec reached forward and helped Q pull the manual air lock.  With a hiss the sounds of the fire muted and Q quickly moved onto the next lab.

 

“Alec, James, manually lock the lab on the left.” She called. “Use the airlock it should help minimize the possible spread. Let’s keep the damage to a minimum.” 

 

The agents disappeared to the left doing just that and Q struggled but still was able to lock the other lab.  Q sighed slumping slightly as soon as the door was locked.  Alec and James both immediately crowded the boffin.

 

“I’m fine,” Q growled slightly straightening and watching the still burning lab.  She watched with narrowed eyes as the flames slowly started to die as it used up the remaining air.  R, Tanner, Eve, and M soon made their way down to the labs their voices echoing down the hall.

 

“What happened?” M growled staring at Q.

 

“That is a good question.” Q replied calmly.  “As far as I understand it there was an accident in the lab and there was an error with the fire suppression system and it failed.  It was necessary to use far more force than it should’ve to manually force lock the doors so there is probably something in error there as well.  This is going to be looked into, closely believe me.”

 

“It better be.” M growled.

 

“Was anyone injured?” Tanner asked.

 

Q turned to look at R.  “Smith and Amy had some slight burns and abrasions.  Medical already has them.” He said still clicking away on this tablet.

 

“Very well,” M said nodding.  “I want to see their report as soon as possible of what happened but Q, you and Alec should be checked out as well.”

 

Q tilted her head looking at M in confusion and the others turned their attention to Q and Alec.  Q looked down confused and her eyes widened in surprise as she finally noticed and finally started to feel the damage done to her hands.  Across both her and Alec’s palms were a burn in the shape of the handle of the override, bright red and blistering slightly.

 

Alec and Q both swore rather colorfully and James rushed forward grabbing each of their hands and looking at the burns.  James muttered under his breath clucking at the injuries.  Alec just smiled at his mate, “Relax, would you.  I’ll be fine.  Its not even my shooting hand.”

 

James just clucked his tongue and continued checking over Alec’s burns before turning to Q.

 

“I’m sure medical is more than competent you, OO7.” Q said calmly moving away from James and looking at R.  “I want all reports on this on my desk first thing in the morning.  With a preliminary report on how to prevent this from happening ever again first.  You’re in charge until I am done with medical.”  With that Q nodded briefly at M and moved down the hall toward medical leaving the others behind. 

 

OO6*OO7*OO10* OO6*OO7*OO10* OO6*OO7*OO10* OO6*OO7*OO10* OO6*OO7*

 

Medical poked, prodded, and scolded leaving Q growling under her breath at them, which had James chuckling as he leaned against the door.

 

“Shouldn’t you be hovering over your packmate?” Q asked with a growl.

 

“Alec can handle himself,” James replied calmly.

 

“And I can’t?” Q replied wincing as the nurse prodded at one of the blisters.  James just smirked, shaking his head slightly.

 

Q sighed turning back to the nurse, “So what’s the prognosis?”

 

“No typing for 3 days, at minimum,” he said, “check in everyday and we can give you a better timeline.  I would say go home but we both know that’s not going to happen, so you can stay as long as you agree to take it easy and leave on time for once.”

 

Q nodded and he continues, “I’ll give you a cream to use, it’ll keep the scarring down, and some antibiotics.

 

Q’s eyes narrowed as he finished wrapping her hands.  The circles of gauze were massive. 

 

James watched Q tilting his head when he heard the timeline, he could hear the doctor a room over talking to Alec; his timeline was a least a week and Q’s burns were worse than Alec’s

 

Q was pushing herself off the table trying carefully to avoid putting weight on her hands.  The nurse was reaching out to help her off the table but James could tell she was still uneasy.  He stepped forward, reaching out and helping Q down.

 

“So I guess its you and me for the next few days.” James said with a smile.

 

“Why would you say that OO7?  I would think you would be occupied caring for your mate, since he was injured as well.”  Q said arching her eyebrow as James steered her from the room, reaching back for the bag of meds the nurse held out for him as he did.

 

“Alec will be fine.”

 

“His injuries were just as severe.”

 

“Your normal guard dogs are on assignment.”

 

“I’ll be sure to tell Bob that you called him a dog.”  When James sent her a frustrated look, Q continued, “I’ll be fine.”

 

“Your definition of fine needs work and its no bother taking care of you both.”

 

“You might as well accept it _kotehok_.” Alec called as he walked into the hallway, his hand wrapped as well with the same white bag that James held tucked under his arm.  “James can be quite determined once his mind is made up.  A real dog with a bone.” He finished chuckling at his own joke; jumping back out of the way of the swipe from his mate.

 

Q chuckled slightly shaking her head as the trio made their way down the hall.  “Quite the stereotype there OO6.”

 

Alec just shrugged bumping into Q from the other side, “Can’t help if its true.”

 

“So how are you planning on taking care of both of us then.” Q said looking at Bond out of the corner of her eye.

 

“Easy enough,” James said with a smile as he called the elevator for Q Branch. “Alec and I will hangout in Q Branch until you are ready to leave and then you’ll come home with us.  At least until your hands have healed. Simple enough.”

 

“You planned this all without any input from me.” Q said coolly as the elevator opened and the trio stepped in. “What makes you think I’ll just fall in line?”

 

“You aren’t an idiot.”  James said smiling.  “You know that your hands mean that it’ll be near impossible to be on your own.  None of the other Double O’s are on leave and Eve and Tanner both have too much to do to be of any help.”

 

“Like I said _kotehok,_ ” Alec said smiling as the elevator doors opened again. “You’ll be best just to agree.  You’ll save yourself a lot of headache.

 

Q sighed pushing past the two wolves into Q Branch.  She paused for a second checking on both Smith and Amy before moving on to the front.  She stood in front of R, waiting.  It took a few moments but soon enough he looked up meeting Q’s eyes and jumping slightly.

 

“What do we know?” Q asked sharply.

 

“There is a glitch in the code, the temperature that room would need to reach to engage the fire suppression system…you would have to be on the sun.”  R replied shaking his head.

 

“How did this happen?”  Q asked.

 

“I’m working on that right now.” R said determined.  “As soon as I know, you’ll know.”

 

Q nodded, “I’ll be in my office, typing on a keyboard is forbidden so if anyone needs to speak to me, tell them to bring their tablet.”  R nodded and Q left with Bond and Alec as deadly shadows.

 

Q opened the door to her office with her hip, causing both James and Alec to frown.  Q ignored the two and threw herself onto her desk chair, her head rolling back, eyes to the ceiling.

 

“A mix of my ID and a body scan, OO7, OO6.  I am not that lax with security.” Q said her gaze still on the ceiling.

 

“Medical said you aren’t supposed to be typing at all.”  James said leaning on the back of the chair in front of Q’s desk.

 

“That’s because they’re unaware of something we’ve been working on.” Q said straightening in the chair and pressing a button on her desk.  A bright blue ball of light appeared above her desk.  Bring both arms up she pulled her hands apart and the ball expanded and a series of icons appeared with a keyboard floating above her desk.  James and Alec both stared eyes wide at the display.

 

Alec blinked a few times, “are you the female version of Tony Stark?” he asked mouth hanging open.

 

Q burst out laughing, a huge smile stretching across her face, “no, no, I’m not… but he did help work out some of the bugs.  We had started it as a team building exercise, a programming game but it became an interface to use with injure agents.  At least it will once we finish debugging it.”

 

“What sort of bugs?” James asked stalking around the display, eyes critical.

 

“The obvious size and brightness.” Q said shrugging.  “it can be touchy to interact with, registering exactly where you are pressing, etc.  Not to mention its obvious to others whatever you are working on.  Like I said for now it’s a game for us when we’re bored.  Tony has told me if I ever need it completed he would be willing to help but since M and the rest of the hirer ups don’t know about it and its not taking actual work time away from anything I’m not concerned.”

 

“You’re on a first name basis with one of the Avengers?”  Alec asked reaching out toward the display, “its still impressive.”

 

“Ah” Q scolded as the display morphed away from Alec’s touch. James and Alec both jumped staring at Q surprised.

 

“Don’t touch what doesn’t belong to you.”  Q scolded, “yes I am, with multiple of them actually and that’s the last I’m saying about that.  What don’t you sit down and relax, try to get some sleep.  I have work that needs to be done and its going to be boring for you two.”

 

James stalked over and leaned against the arm of the couch, a confident smirk on his face. “You won’t even know we’re here.” He drawled.

 

“I’m pretty sure that’s impossible.” Q replied dryly before turning back to the display and losing herself in the details.  About ten minutes later there was a knock on the door, drawing the wolves’ attention.  James tensed his hand going for his gun.  Alec’s gaze focused on Q and when she didn’t react he relaxed slightly.

 

Q pulled up a camera feed on the display before smiling and saying, “Computer unlock the door please.”

 

With a click the door opened and Sarah pushed her way inside, a large cup with a straw in one hand, a plate of biscuits in the other, and a tablet and papers tucked under her one arm.  Her eyes widened at the display before breaking out in a huge grin.

 

“So should we start painting Q Branch red and gold, boss?” she asked setting the cup and plate down in front of Q and pulling the chair from the front of Q’s desk around to the side.

 

“You do that, you’ll be running only the baby agent missions.” Q said coolly.

 

Sarah’s nose scrunched up in disgust before looking at Q almost smugly. “You’d never do that, you’d go mad.”

 

Q thought about it for a moment before pointing at the tablet, “what’s up?”

 

“Three things.” Sarah said unlocking the tablet and sending the info to the larger display.  Alec watched carefully at the new display, it looked like weapon schematics.  James shifted back to resting on the couch’s armrest watching with amusement this petite, multi-colored, sprite like woman standing up to and joking with Q.

 

“So, Scarlett’s next mission means that her sniper rifle needs to be traded in for a bow and arrow.  This is the preliminary specs; tech needs your opinion and input on this.”

 

Q narrowed her eyes, moving the image left and right, rotating it up and down, studying the specs.  Alec and James watched in fascination, as Q studied this with obvious concern.

 

“This is too obviously custom.” Q said eventually. “It’s right for Scarlett but she’ll stick out like a sore thumb at the contest.  Have the techs get or get the plans for a high tech but easily accessible bow and see if we can get ours to match.  She’ll be drawing attention as an unknown already, especially with how good of a shot as she is, let’s not add a new bow type to the scrutiny.”

 

Sarah nodded typing away on the tablet and passing the papers in front of Q.  She scanned over the papers eyes narrowing.

 

“Can you pull up the list of all active agents and mission status?” Q asked indicating to the display.

 

Sarah nodded and after a few seconds the list appeared.  Q stood and moved to the front of her desk studying the list with a frown.  Sarah watched leaning back resting her feet on the edge of Q’s desk.

 

“Get your feet off my desk,” Q called her back to Sarah.  The tech immediately did that with a shrug.  “Give that mission prelim to James please.” Q continued.

 

Sarah started slightly and turned her gaze toward the couch in surprise.  James raised an eyebrow and the petite woman blushed before getting up and handing the first of the mission files over.  Alec sat up and leaned over and the pair flipped through the file.

 

“What do you need Q?” James asked.

 

“I’m thinking Kiera would be perfect but with this country I can’t send her alone.” Q said still scrolling through the list, “yet this mission doesn’t warrant two double O’s”

 

“So the question is who to send?”  James muttered.

 

“You’re asking us?” Alec asked in surprise.

 

Q looked through the data at the pair, “You are two of the better Double O’s and you have proven that you are pretty good at predicting which younger agents are actually likely to succeed.”  She replied, “and other than me, you have spent the most time studying them.  So yes your input would be welcome.”

 

James and Alec both stood and joined Q in front of the list, arms brushing the women, which had Sarah raising her eyebrows in surprise.

 

The trio stood staring each pointing at a name here or there before frowning and shaking their heads.  It didn’t take very long though before James and Q both pointed to the same name.

 

“Daniel Amir.” Alec tilted his head considering as Q explained.

 

“He’s next in line for consideration for the Double O track and he can easily play the part of Kiera’s brother.”

 

“He’s quick on his feet, good at improvising and hand to hand.” James added.

 

“Then he’ll complement her nicely then.” Alec said.

 

Q spun to Sarah, “send Tanner my recommendation, if he argues remind him I haven’t been wrong yet.”

 

Sarah smiled and tapped away on her tablet and had a semi sarcastic “yes, ma’am” in reply.

 

Q rolled her eyes stepping toward the desk, “Don’t call me ma’am.”

 

Sarah raised an eyebrow.

 

“Or Sir. What’s the last thing?” Q said looking over the papers.  Q scanned the first page and her entire body tensed as she read over the page again.  Her hands curling into fists, the blisters on her palms reopening under the bandages.  James and Alec turned to Q in concern as they smelled blood.

 

Q paled flicking through the papers, muttering switching to swearing the more she read.  “Those goddamn leaches.  Don’t they realize. Clueless. Meddling. Bastards.”

 

Q froze eyes gold and slit, “Someone get R.”  when the trio just stared, she actually growled. “Now!”  Sarah scrambled to her feet and out the door.

 

Alec and James stepped toward Q but she stepped away.

 

“Computer call M! put it on speaker!” Q demanded pacing.

 

The line rang twice with Q’s pacing getting more frantic before M picked up.

 

“Yes Q” M started.

 

“Since when do our mission specs come from that sleazy, slime ball, ignorant, conceded, ass of a politician?” Q demanded, “The objective of this mission could be handled a million different ways with our resources without putting any of our agents in that position.  I have the best technical minds working for me, there is no need for this.”

 

“Even I report to a higher power, Q”  M said calmly.  Q’s eyes flashed, her hands in fists and the smell of blood got stronger.

 

“If you insist on following through with this brief in this way, I will quit and take my branch with me.  Every agent will know why.”  Q said coldly.

 

“There is nothing stopping you, from doing it a different way.  Just be sure to pass the information on.”  M said calmly.

 

“I will Ma’am. Good day.” Q said coldly, “computer hang-up.”

 

Sarah slowly pushed the door open, pulling R in behind her.  Q looked up the intensity of her gaze causing the pair to flinch.

 

“Sarah, you can leave.”  She said coolly.  Sarah nodded and fled, leaving R standing playing with his sweater’s edge.

 

“Have you made any progress?” Q asked.

 

“I fixed the glitch but I haven’t figured out what caused it or how they got in.”  R answered.  “I’ll figure it out.  This won’t happen again.”

 

“I know but that needs to go to the back burner.”  Q replied.

 

“Q?” R asked.

 

“I have another project that I need you to focus on instead.  This takes priority above all.”  Q replied handing the file over.

 

Q paced as R flipped through the file as well, his brow furrowing and body tensing the more he read as well.  James and Alec both leaned forward trying to read the file over R’s shoulder.  The avian shifter moved so they couldn’t which had the agents looking at Q concerned.

 

“Q, whose plan was this?” R asked his tone furious.

 

“Not mine.” Q said angrily.  “Not M’s either.  We have full reign to change this plan.  We need to change this plan.”

 

“Obviously.”  R said with a snort.  “This is shite.  They can’t be seriously thinking we would go for through this.”

 

“I have no idea what they were thinking.  This is completely unacceptable.” Q growled.  “Agents are still people and this is asking them to be completely inhuman.  I don’t know where that ass gets off asking this of my agents but this is not what is going to happen.”

 

“You want me to see if I can hack it.”  R stated.

 

“I don’t want you to see, I want you to do it.” Q said looking at R tone cold.  “Use as many resources as needed, pull hackers from other projects.  I don’t care!  I am not sending agents in.”

 

R leaned away from Q’s fury before nodding.  “Yes, ma’am.  Consider it done.”

 

Q studied him for a second before nodding.  “Let me know everything you learn. You are dismissed.”

 

R nodded and fled the office.  Leaving Q still tense as a bow and two concerned wolves.

 

“Q?” James asked stepping forward.  “What was that about?”

 

“Not important.” Q said spinning back toward the oversized display.

 

“If it has you so upset its not nothing.”  Alec said stepping around in front of Q.

 

“I’m not talking about it OO6.” Q said with a growl, wiping her hand through the air causing the display to close.

 

“Q.” James said stepping up behind her.

 

“You can say my name however many times you want OO7, it doesn’t change the fact that I am not allowed to explain that mission to you.  I wouldn’t if I could.”  Q said her body tense.

 

“If its bothering you this much _kotehok_ you should tell someone.” Alec said calmly.

 

“Leave it alone.”  Q said moving around the wolf and flopping onto the couch.

 

The wolves exchanged a look.  “Fine,” James said stepping forward and looking down at Q. “We’ll leave it alone if you leave early, now in fact and come home with us.”

 

Q opened her eyes and looked at the wolf annoyed.

 

“No you don’t get to argue about this one.”  James growled his tone firm.  “you are injured and exhausted and you just did yourself even more damage.  Be happy we’re not dragging you right back down to medical instead.”

 

Q flicked her eyes toward Alec and he just raised an eyebrow agreeing with his mate.  She sighed her posture defeated before nodding and standing.  She pointed to her purse and the duffle that James had grabbed the last time he was in her office and before she could even ask James was grabbing them and throwing them over his shoulder.  Q rolled her eyes and left the office.  She walked to the center of Q Branch and paused waiting.  The room went silent with everyone staring at her.

 

“Due to today’s events, I will not be in for the rest of this week.  I will check in once a day either before or after my check in with medical and will be available for advice and questions by phone but due to my hands,” She said raising them, “I will not be available for any real work.  R is in charge, but he has his own assignment that takes priority, so until he makes it clear that assignment has been completed any minor issues will be handled by Sarah.  I am expecting to hear of no issues when I check in.”

 

The boffins around the room all nodded and Q gave to room one last sweep before walking to the door the wolves trailing her like a pair of deadly guardian angels. 

 

The group made their way out the garage and James lead the group over to a matte black SUV and held the passenger door for Q.  Alec took the back seat once James had closed the door for Q.  The wolves exchanging a cautious glance as James shut the door.  The ride to the wolves’ flat was silent.  Q lost in thought looking out the window and Alec and James were unwilling to interrupt her thoughts.

 

James pulled into the secure parking under their building before turning toward Q, “You ok there kitten?”

 

Q shook herself and looked around blinking in confusion before responding. “Yeah fine, just lost in thought. Sorry.”

 

James and Alec exchanged a glance again in the rearview mirror.

 

“No problem, _kotehok_ ” Alec said from the back, “Now how about we head inside so James here can give you the grand tour.”

 

Q nodded and the trio made their way upstairs.  James handling the doors.  He paused outside the door to the flat and placed his hand just to the right of the frame, after a second the door clicked open.  Q smiled slightly.

 

“At least some of my agents appreciate my security systems.”  Q said following Alec in.

 

“It’s the best that we’ve ever had.”  James said closing the door behind the trio.

 

“James you’re in charge of the grand tour.” Alec said from down the hall.  James shook his head before looking at Q.

 

“So, this is obviously the front hall,” James said sweeping his hands around.   He walked a little ways down the hall Q following and pointed toward the gleaming kitchen, “again obvious this is the kitchen, and attached is the living room.”

 

Q looked around the very modern flat.  There were some minor personal touches but as a whole the flat seemed rather sterile, more of a stopping point than an actual home.  James continued down the hall, pausing waiting for Q to catch up.  He nudged open a door and revealed a large bathroom.  It was done in black and white tile, the shower had multiple heads and a bench across the back.

 

“This is the quest bathroom.” He said with a smile.

 

Q looked longingly at the decedent shower as James and Alec gave each other a knowing look behind her back.  James gave Alec’s damaged hands a significant look which had the other man rolling his eyes with a shrug and then a significant look between Q and James.  Just in time for Q to turn back to the wolves.

 

“Where am I sleeping?” she asked.

 

“Down this way,” Alec said leading Q down a hallway leaving James behind to think for a moment.

 

Alec showed Q the quest room and Q walked in and collapsed onto the large bed with a sigh.

 

Alec chuckled and James shook his head as he placed Q’s bag on the floor.  Q just put an arm over her face.

 

“I’m going to order food and then pass out.” Alec said nudging past James.  Q made a humming noise in agreement and James nodded, leaning against the wall.

 

It took a second for Q to realize that James hadn’t left the spare room and she sat up looking at him confused.

 

James smirked, “you can use the shower you know.”

 

Q glanced away before glaring at James, “I would think that an agent of your caliber would realize that burns and water don’t necessarily mix.”

 

James didn’t flinch at Q’s ire, “its simple enough kitten.  I’ll help you.”

 

Q stared at James narrowing her eyes.

 

He raised his hands placatingly, “completely innocent I swear.  I’ll put a bathing suit on and won’t look anywhere inappropriate.  I just want to help.”

 

Q studied the wolf with narrowed eyes before nodding slightly, “ok…but if you don’t behave….”

 

James nodded, “yeah I know you’ll kill me.”  He pulled Q out of the room.  He pushed her into the bathroom and passing Alec, ignoring his smirk, he went into the master bedroom.  James pulled on his trunks, figuring his speedo wouldn’t be helping his case before heading back to the bathroom.  Knocking on the door.

 

“Come in,” Q called her voice just barely above a whisper.  James opened the door and slipped in eyes to the floor.  Once the door was shut behind him he slowly raised his eyes, sweeping over Q’s hunched form.  His eyes paused not on her chest or hips but on her legs, then arms, and shoulders, his eyes widening.  Scars, thick, thin, straight, jagged, burns, bullets, and more; her body was riddled with scars.  There were some on her upper arms and thighs evenly spaced groups of similar depth, some better healed than others.  Some were intersected with the more jagged lines.  A low distressed whine crept up the back of his throat as he stared at Q in horror.

 

There was a low knock on the door.  “James? Q? everything ok?” Alec asked.

 

Q’s face went white and stared at James, her eyes wide in fear.

 

“We’re fine Alec,” James called his tone carefully even.  He could see it as Q sagged in relief.

 

“Alright…”Alec said slowly walking away. “Just thought I heard something.” He muttered as he walked away.

 

“I will tell him, eventually.” James said carefully looking at Q.

 

“I know,” Q said with a sigh.  “I just can’t deal with it today.”

 

James nodded, “can I ask what happened?  And how the hell you’ve been able to hide this?”

 

Q shrugged moving out of the way as James started the shower, “No one comes to MI6 innocent and you would be surprised what some carefully planned clothes and some careful makeup can hide.”

 

James nodded and waved Q into the spray.  She stepped in and her eyes closed letting the spray wash over her body, carefully holding her arms away from the water, trying to keep her bandages dry.

 

“We should’ve covered those,” James said with a frown.

 

Q opened an eye and shrugged.  “Probably should’ve but its too late now.”

 

James nodded, before reaching around and grabbing the shampoo.  “Let me help.”

 

Q stepped away from the spray and toward James.  He quickly lathered up her short hair and gently pushed her toward the spray once more helping her rinse out the suds.  He grabbed Alec’s body wash which had Q giving him a raised eyebrow.

 

“He got it as a gag gift from Ben, but he decided that he loved it instead.  He keeps it for special occasions now.”  James explained as he lathered up a puff that was sitting on the shelf before running carefully over Q’s limbs as the woman watched him closely.  He made sure not to linger over any sensitive areas and pushed her back into the wave of water. They switched spots and James quickly washed off keeping his back to Q before he stepped out.  He dried off quickly before turning around holding out a huge towel.  He dried off Q’s limbs before wrapping her up in it, again keeping his eyes up.

 

“Do you mind if I ask you a question?” Q asked pinning the towel to her side.

 

“How come I’m not being remarkably sexist and hitting on you right now?”  James asked wryly.

 

Q didn’t flinch, “I have read your early mission reports.”

 

James nodded, his smile bitter; “Who I have to be on missions or who I thought I had to be in those early missions are not who I really am.  I made mistakes and acted rashly and stupidly. I felt that I had something to prove and that was how men in my position were supposed to act.  Between Bob and Alec, I realized how wrong I was and started to act more naturally and once I did that my missions got better so it was a win-win.”  James shrugged, “I also got Alec out of all of it and well I wouldn’t do anything to hurt that.”

 

Q smiled a half smile, blinking away some moisture that had gathered in her eyes.  “I’m sorry for assuming.”

 

“No don’t worry about it,” James said pushing Q into the quest bedroom.  “Are you going to need any help?”

 

“No I got this handled.” Q said nodding toward the bag.  James nodded and closed the door behind him.  Alec met him at the door to the master bedroom.

 

“Everything ok?”  he asked.  James pulled him into their room after him.

 

“It will be I think,” James said slowly.

 

“Then what was the whine for James,” Alec asked pointily.

 

“Don’t bring it up to her, at least not tonight,” James said as he pulled a pair of worn jeans and t-shirt from the dresser. “Q’s covered in scars.  As bad if not worse than any Double O.” he said pulling on the clothes.  “When I asked she just said no one came to MI6 innocent.”

 

 Alec frowned, “That’s cynical even for Q.”

 

James nodded, “I know and some of those scars…Alec she has lived through a lot.”

 

Alec nodded serious and determined, “then we’ll just have to protect her from now on.”

 

“I don’t know if she realizes that she deserves to be protected.” James said as he opened the door.

 

“Then we’ll prove it to her.”  Alec said determined wrapping his arms around his mate.  James stood there, resting his head on Alec’s shoulder, enjoying the embrace for a second before moving toward the kitchen keeping an ear directed toward their wayward Quartermaster in the other room.  He busied himself pulling out plates and napkins as Alec lounged on the couch.  There was a knock on the door just as the door to the spare room opened.  James went to grab the food and Alec watched for Q.

 

Q came out in a pair of yoga pants and a cami, and Alec froze as he saw the scars littering Q’s upper body.  He stared for a second before realizing that Q had hunched in on herself wrapping her arms tight around her, eyes down, without her branch, injured and in the wolves’ territory her bluster and confidence were shot.  Alec looked away refocusing on the door.  James walked in and looked between the pair of them eyes concerned.  Alec shook his head minutely and James disappeared into the kitchen with the bag of take out.  He dished it out and came back into the living room balancing a few plates with napkins tucked under his arm.  The other moved so they could eat and the trio ate in silence.

 

OO6*OO7*OO10* OO6*OO7*OO10* OO6*OO7*OO10* OO6*OO7*OO10* OO6*OO7*

 

The rest of the week went by slowly.  Alec and James treated Q very carefully and by the end of the week they were more relaxed with each other. Alec and Q were now easily teasing James with all of his hovering, James and Q still bantered back and forth tone sniping but a teasing smile below all of it.  Little gifts kept finding their way into either Q’s bag or onto her desk when they would check into medical each day which had Q confused and sending the wolves narrow eyed glances but nothing really came of it. Q had told the pair of them a little about her life outside of MI6 and they told her stories of their Navy days and old missions but by time Monday came around Q was walking into Q Branch at 6 am a few hours before the majority of Q Branch would be coming in.  She surveyed the branch a smile on her face that everything seemed to be in order.  She shook her head slightly as she saw R passed out at his desk though.

 

She walked over and touched his shoulder lightly.

 

“W-What…I’m awake! I’m awake.” He said jumping in his desk. His hair sticking up everywhere and his glasses askew. Q smirked and raised an eyebrow as the avian tried to make himself presentable and turn at the same time.  R blinked owlishly as he finished adjusting his glasses and staring at Q.  The man dove from his chair and wrapped his arms around Q in a hug.

 

“Oh thank you! You’re back!  You’re back!” R cried.

 

Q chuckled patting the other man on his back.  “Long week?” she asked.

 

“I am half a second away from killing the Double Os, Jane from Accounting is stalking me I swear, M is terrifying, that mission you needed me to look into took so much more time than I thought it was going to, oh and Q Branch has been bickering worse than Secondary.” R said with a sigh, “How do you do it?”

 

Q laughed pulling R with her toward her office, “I tell the Double O’s to fuck off when they’re being ridiculous, M likes me and is used to me by now, I have facts and figures that even Jane can’t refute and I think I scare her, I delegate other responsibilities so I can focus on my priorities, and I remind Q Branch that I have access to all of their interoffice messages and I am their boss and I do not tolerate childishness.”

 

“That seems impossible.” R sigh rubbing his eyes.

 

Q laughed again, “I’m aware, you did really well though.  It’ll get better, the more often you deal with it.”

 

“A day or two here or there is fine, even a week if you need a vacation but only if you are still in contact, no more.  Please no more!”  R begged which had Q leaning against her desk to stay upright she was laughing so hard.

 

“I’ll try, I’ll try.” She said between chuckles.  “Now take off your glasses and shoes, the couch is yours for a few hours.  I wish I could send you home so you could get a full day’s rest but there is a few things I need to cover with you before that happens.”

 

R looked at Q sadly, “We can’t just cover it now, or tomorrow.”

 

“R, you are still half asleep, and while tomorrow is the start of a week off for you so no.” Q said sternly, an older sister in all but birth; “get some sleep, I’ll have tea for you when you wake up.”

 

R sighed and got comfortable on Q’s couch, he was asleep within seconds his soft snores filling her office.  Q quietly grabbed a few things from her desk and after softly covering the man with the blanket she snuck out of the office.

 

A few hours later Q opened the door in one hand R’s mug full of steaming tea, in the other a plate with biscuits and sandwiches.  She placed the mug on the small table by the couch with the plate nearby before going over to the coffee pot and starting it.  As the sounds of the coffee pot and the smell of the filled the office, R slowly roused.

 

“Tea?” he muttered.

 

“Earl Grey,” Q answered which had R straightening quicker.  He placed his glasses back on his face and picked up the mug, swallowing a huge gulp, which had Q wincing in sympathy, before refocusing on his boss sitting across from him.

 

“Eat,” Q said indicating the sandwiches as she took a gulp of her coffee.  She waited until R had picked one up and started eating before she continued. “I reviewed the information on that mission you had retrieved and I’m very pleased with the result, you did good.  M is pleased and the bastard is furious which only makes everything else that much better.” Q said with a smile.

 

R digested that comment, taking another bite of the sandwich and swallowing before speaking up, “I’m happy, but Q you could have told me that earlier. What are you concerned about?  What do you actually need to talk about?”

 

Q sighed, “Computer security program blackout.”  There was hiss and a clunking noise.  R narrowed his eyes at Q, blackout was one of the most secure codes in MI6, nothing was getting out and unless the world was ending nothing was getting in.

 

“Understand that I had to force M into getting you clearance for this,” Q said tone completely serious.  “There are no computer files on this, it’s a paper file only kept in a highly secure place.  The people that know about this can be counted on one hand.  But you have proven that not only are you extremely competent, you are extremely trustworthy and loyal.  You can be and actually need to be trusted with this.  But understand this will mean changes in what you deal with in MI6 and you will have to keep secrets from everyone and I mean everyone, including your two medaling brothers.  Is that clear? Because if its not, you can walk out of this office now and this conversation never happened.”

 

R to his credit did sit and consider this before nodding, “I’ll deal with that at some later point.  What is it that you need to read me in on?”

 

Q smiled, proud, before continuing, “this isn’t the most straight forward story so bear with me.   You know that my main focus isn’t really on technology, don’t get me wrong I still can use it and create the pieces that our agents need but that’s not my focus.  My strength is as a strategist and part of the reason I was brought in was because I can and will run circles around the strategist in MI5.  The other reason is in two parts.”  Q paused taking another sip of her coffee, looking over R’s shoulder.

 

“I’m not a British citizen, well not a native British citizen, my loyalty to MI6 has little to do with the Queen and country line they feed the new agents. No, my loyalty has been earned and it was earned the hard way.  I was born and raised in America and due to some events, that do not matter to this conversation, I am a dual shifter.” Q paused watching R.

 

R stared at Q in surprise, “You were an American dual shifter?” he asked incredulously, at Q’s nod he continued.  “Aren’t they imprisoned?  Treated like criminals? Killed in some states?”

 

Q sighed her body deflating slightly. “Yes, they are; we are.  If you want to stay in the States, you hide it; many live their lives in hiding, others try to suppress it, and others…well others they kill themselves.  Me, I hid, ran, and played vigilante.  Those that had hurt me, hurt others, they died.  Often painfully.  I evaded the police, Feds, and SHIELD.  I evaded everyone until I literally ran into a now deceased Double O.  I proved myself to him and he got M to bring me in and offer me a job.”

 

She took another sip, watching R as he stared at her his sandwich falling apart in his hands, completely forgotten.  “I wasn’t brought in as a tech,” she continued.  “I was brought in as an agent.  Someone who could do the missions that were deemed beyond the abilities of the rest of the Double Os, someone who could get in and out without anyone knowing, someone who could do the impossible.  I also worked with Q Branch, undercover even within MI6.  Due to recent events it has been decided between M and I that you need to know about this.  I need to have support even if its covert support in Q Branch and hiding this from others is getting far too complicated without support, so you are getting read in.”

 

“Read into your missions?”  R asked.

 

“Read into the file of OO10.”  Q said leaning back.

 

R stared, dropping the rest of the sandwich onto the plate.  “They’re a legend.”

 

Q snorted, “rumors work really well at keeping people from digging too deeply.  I created half of them and inspired some of the more fantastic versions.”

 

“OO10 is ruthless.” R said slowly.

 

“I have to be,” Q said calmly.  “Do you have any real questions, R?”

 

R blinked at Q, finally lowering his hand.  “why are you telling me this ma’am?”

 

“You have been leading the charge in researching me and my actions.  I am fending off a dozen attempts to access my records each day which is a step back from where it used to be and that’s not even touching the in-person attempts of interrogation.” Q said calmly. “Eventually you were going to find out what you were looking for, so who better to have protecting the information, protecting my back than the one person who could find it?”

 

“Do I get to say no?” R asked.

 

Q tilted her head studying R.  “I’m pretty sure we already covered this.”

 

“Sorry, Q.” R said shaking his head, “This is a lot to take in.  But of course I will watch your back.”

 

Q nodded, “R go get some rest, enjoy your week off.  The branch will still be here when you get back and we can talk then.”

 

The avian shifter stood and after a moment left Q’s office.  Q watched him leave and sighed leaning her head back against the headrest before turning back to her computer.

 

OO6*OO7*OO10* OO6*OO7*OO10* OO6*OO7*OO10* OO6*OO7*OO10* OO6*OO7*

 

It was a long week but Q Branch had slowly gotten itself back into a routine.  Alec and James both either separately or together could be found lurking in the corners of the branch, bringing Q coffee or food; or at night they would push her to leave and take a break.  She ignored them most nights at least for a while but she did always eventually leave.  Sarah heard them muttering that Q kept giving them the slip though, so it was clear that she wasn’t going home with them.

 

R came back that Monday and exchanged a determined look with Q as he made his way to the front of the room.  Q nodded and handed the file to Sarah before escorting R to her office, shutting the door in Alec’s face as he tried to sneak in behind them.

 

“I’ll work with you, I’ll protect you, I’ll even work as your mission handler if need be but for all that is good in the world, please do not send me off on vacation and lock me out of the branch for a week after dropping that much information on me.” R said pacing Q’s office.

 

“I won’t” Q said calmly, with R’s glare; “I swear!”

 

R nodded, “now what did I miss?”

 

“OO6 and OO7 have been lurking, three projects have been completed, two more are stuck, three Double Os are out, two are on their way back, and there are four younger agents who are causing trouble.” Q said with a shake of her head.  “I also am at the agent testing level of my newest tracker, which is probably going to be the only time when having those two lurking around is going to be useful.”

 

R snorted, “Well then I’ll get straight to work.  You want me to send the wolves in?”

 

“They sneak in soon enough, with or without me calling them.”  Q said with a shake of her head, “Its became a bit of a game, I’m pretty sure the rest of them have been taking bets.”

 

R shrugged.  “Well, good luck with that ma’am.”  He left the office shutting the door with a click behind him.  Q pulled up a few files and got lost in the files and projects for a few moments.  Sure, enough after about half an hour James and Alec walked through the door to her office without even knocking.

 

“One of these days I won’t disable the security measures.” She said from her desk, not even looking up at the wolves.

 

“One would think you don’t like us, _kotehok_ ” Alec said leaning on the back of the chair facing Q’s desk while James made his way around to Q’s chair leaning over her shoulder.

 

“If you two are going to be pests, at least hand me your dog tags.” Q said standing from her desk.

 

“Why?” James asked reaching up to his neck.

 

“I finished the tracker.” Q said making her way to the bookshelf and pulling out a small metal box.  Alec and James both handed over the chains with their dog tags.  The metal was a dull black and there was a rubber cover over the edges of each, the tags of those who would be working special ops not that of normal military, the chains long enough that if need be they could be worn with their wolf form instead, and all kept in good condition.  Q turned the tags over in her hands studying the metal looking for any sort of flaw when her brow furrowed.

 

Looking up at the wolves she asked, “why does James have one of yours Alec and Alec have one of your James?”

 

The wolves exchanged a look, before speaking, “You know we’re mates, right?”  At Q’s nod James continued. “with our lives rings seemed a little ridiculous so we exchanged dog tags.”

 

“We always will have each other’s back and we’re always with each other then.” Alec said as if it explained everything.

 

Q nodded opening the box and turning on the light on her desk.  “That makes sense, and is really sweet.”  Looking up she saw the wolves blushing, “Don’t worry I won’t tell anyone.”

 

They both nodded and stepped back as Q pulled out four tiny vials out of the metal box, a microscope, and some other tools soon followed.  James and Alec both watched as Q carefully took something out the vials attaching it the dog tags.  It took some time but with Q not saying a word they figured they should stay silent as well and they waited.  Finally, she held the tags up to a scanner and when it beeped and the light shone green four times in all she smiled and passed the tags back to James and Alec.  They quickly put them back around their necks looking at Q.

 

“Whenever you are on a mission these can be remotely accessed to pinpoint your location for rescue, assuming you don’t have your comms, you can use Morse code.  These are programed to react to the letter Q as an SOS.”  Q paused for a second thinking, “also the longer you wear them they will become keyed into your heart rate and other indicators of health and if those signs change too drastically then it will send out an alert as well.”

 

“How long until they get accustomed?” Alec asked.

 

“About a month, maybe more.” Q replied.  “Its not perfect but it’s the best we can do for now.”

 

“Of course,” James replied playing with the chain to the tags.

 

“Now, get out of here,” Q said smiling.  “M is looking for you and this will be the first place she looks.”

 

“We’ll bid you goodbye for today, Quartermaster.” James said with a smirk pulling Alec toward the door.  “We have a dragon to evade.”

 

Q chuckled as the pair fled her office.  M would find them soon enough.

 

OO6*OO7*OO10* OO6*OO7*OO10* OO6*OO7*OO10* OO6*OO7*OO10* OO6*OO7*

 

It was a quiet month; Q Branch had moved back into its normal level of calm chaos and even the Double O missions were going smoothly.  Q was rather surprised but at the same time was thankful for the break.  But breaks can only last for so long.  M had just called her into her office.

 

Q nodded to Eve as she walked into M’s office back ramrod straight.  She shut the door with a click behind her and stood in front of M’s desk.

 

“I’m guessing this isn’t about Q Branch,” Q said calmly.

 

“No,” M replied, “We have a mission for you.  A tracker who is killing shifters. We think this is just part of a bigger problem.  Here’s the file.”

 

Q scanned the pages quickly at first then slower the second time.  “When do I leave?”

 

“Your flight is at 1700.”  M answered studying Q.  “Can R handle it?”

 

Q smiled, “he’ll be fine.  I’ll warn him though.”

 

M nodded and Q left.  She quickly filled R in on what was happening and got changed, gone was the suit and it was replaced with a pair of dark wash jeans and blue blouse, heels replaced with low sturdy boots.  Some of the techs gave her a look but as a whole no one batted an eye and Q got lost in the chaos of the branch for a few hours.  That was until about half an hour before she was going to leave for the airport.  Then James and Alec walked in huge grins on their faces.  Q watched them with narrowed eyes as they made their way to the front of the Branch standing in front of Q.

 

“Q, we would like to” Alec started.

 

“Formally ask you to give us the great honor.” James continued.

 

Together they said, “of being our mate.”  They each held out a chain with one dog tag on it.

 

Q stared in amazement, shaking her head, her body tensing, as Q Branch went completely silent as everyone stared at the trio in the front of the room.  Q looked between the two wolves, eyes wide and mouth open before shutting it with an audible snap and narrowing her now golden eyes.

 

“That’s it!” Q growled spinning on her heel and stalking off to her office.  Alec and James exchanged a look and followed the woman.  Q moved so she was standing behind her desk staring the two men down as they entered the office closing the door behind them.  A few keyboard clicks and the office was now soundproof.

 

“What the hell are you two playing at?” Q growled.

 

“What do you mean, kitten?” Alec asked

 

“You’re bringing me food!  Trying to protect me!  You taking me home for a week like an injured stray!  This!!! You two are acting as if you are trying to court me which is completely ridiculous so what are you playing at?”

 

“Why is us wanting to court you ridiculous?”  James asked and Alec looked almost hurt.

 

“You’re already mated to each other, you both are wolves, you need a pack, you need that social group.  I’m a feline, we’re solo by nature, it would never work.  You don’t know anything about me and do I need to repeat that you are already mated to each other already.”  Q replied her body stiff.

 

“Q how are you sure that it wouldn’t work?”  Alec asked.

 

Q looked up her eyes wide, Alec and James both took a step forward.

 

“Give us a chance kitten,” James said meeting the shifter’s eyes.  “We want you, our wolves calm if we are in your presence even if it’s after a mission, our wolves want you, we want you.  We trust you completely. Give us a chance.”

 

Q narrowed her eyes and drew back circling around her desk so she now was in the center of her office staring the men down.  In a blink, there was a black housecat staring up at the men, it’s back arched, claws out, and tail twitching.  Its entire posture screaming agitated and upset.

 

“Aww, Q, you’re adorable.”  Alec said stepping forward and kneeling down but James grabbed him by the back of his shirt and pulling him back.

 

Which apparently was a good idea because as Alec moved back Q’s form seemed to be growing and soon standing in front of the two wolf shifters was a large strong black leopard.  Q yawned after the shift finished showing the two Double Os her sharp fangs.

 

James’ eyes widened and his hand fell to his side, Alec’s jaw dropped staring at the large creature.  Q looked up at their faces for a moment but quickly looked back down her body language screaming hurt and fear.  She turned away from them and moved behind her desk shifting back.  She kept her head down looking at her desk.

 

“If you can keep this quiet I would be in your debt.”  Q said her tone low, “I’ll get R to take over your missions and you won’t need to see me again.”

 

Alec and James looked at Q with pity.  It was so rare for a person to have two forms, they would’ve needed to have survived a life changing, personality altering event, and even then, it was extremely rare.  Those that this happened to were often shunned and feared in society and obviously, Q was expecting the Double Os to react that way.  Q had taken the seat in front of her computer her eyes focused on the screen, stiff holding herself as tightly as possible, pointily not looking at the agents on the other side of her desk.

 

Alec and James moved around her desk and Alec spun her chair around forcing Q to look at the agents, her eyes looking up for a second but quickly moving down to stare at her lap, unwilling to look at the agents that she was sure would only be looking at her with disgust.

 

“Kitten,” James said from his position squatting in front of Q, Alec next to him.  The Quartermaster wouldn’t raise her eyes to him.  The blond wolf reach out and nudged the cat’s chin until she raised her eyes to the ice blue eyes of the agent.

 

“We aren’t afraid of you Q,” Alec said forcing Q to flick her eyes quickly to him.

 

“We aren’t disgusted either, Q” James said forcing the woman to look at him again.  “In fact, we’re impressed.”  Q’s head jerked back her eyes narrowing looking at the man.

 

Alec reached over and smacked James across the back of the head.  “Excuse my idiot mate,” Alec said shaking his head.  “He means that we’re impressed with your strength.  You’ve obviously went through hell but you’re still here and probably the strongest person in MI6 behind M.”

 

“You have no reason to be ashamed Q and anyone who says differently should met our fangs.”  James continued.

 

“You couldn’t possibly still want to court me knowing that I’m a freak.”  Q asked her voice confused.

 

“Q, we’re spies, surely freak doesn’t apply.” Alec said jokingly a huge smile on his face.

 

“Q, we wanted you before we knew your forms and we still want you now.  It’s not exactly like Alec and I are traditional wolves anyway.  And anything that we don’t know about each other we’ll learn.”  James said with a smile, “I believe that’s what being in a relationship is about right?”

 

“We’re deadly serious, Q” Alec said reaching out and grabbing her one hand, James had already grabbed the other, _‘when had that happened’_ Q thought.

 

“We want you, we want this, won’t you at least give us a chance?”  James asked.

 

Q looked between the two men, eyes wide studying their faces looking for a lie, any falsehood in the wolves’ eyes.  She wanted to believe them she really did.

 

Slowly Q nodded.  “Okay, okay I’ll try,” she said, “I’ll give this a chance but there is a lot that we are going to have to talk about.”

 

Alec whooped and grabbed Q pulling her up and spinning her around in his arms.  The woman tensed her eyes wide in fear but quickly forced herself to relax.  James just looked at the pair a small smile on his face as he looked at his mates.

 

“Alec let her breathe.”  James called as he realized that the other wolf’s grip was crushing Q.

 

Alec quickly set her down and took a step away as Q took a quick deep breath of air.  James stood and wrapped his arms around Q tilting his head toward her neck and whispered into her ear, “Thank you, you won’t regret this.”

 

“I hope so,” Q replied just as quietly understanding that Alec could hear her as well.  

 

James let go of Q and held up the chain holding his dog tag and smiled at Q.

 

Q nodded and bent her head slightly and James places the chain around her neck.  Alec was pretty much bouncing behind Q his tag clutched in his hand, a huge grin on his face.  Q turned slightly and bowed her head slightly again and Alec placed the chain for his tag around her neck.

 

“You’re ours now kitten.”  Alec said teasing as the tags clinked together.

 

Q smiled reaching up and hiding the tags under her shirt, letting the cold metal rest against her skin.  “I don’t have anything to give you two yet but I will when I get back, we’ll need to talk then anyway.”

 

“Back?”  James asked.

 

“You sprung this on me as I was leaving for a mission.”  Q answered. “Why do you think I’m dressed like this?”  she said indicating to the casual clothes that she was wearing.

 

The agents frowned looking Q over. “Where are you going?”  Alec asked frowning.

 

“I can’t tell you that.”  Q replied calmly, “I’ll be back soon enough and then we can talk.”  She said grabbing her bag and reshouldering it.

 

“Can we at least escort you?”  James said crowding Q.

 

Q looked up studying the taller wolf.  Whatever she saw in his eyes was apparently enough, “Very well, I could use a ride to the airport.”

 

“M’lady,” Alec said crooking his arm.  Q chuckled looking at James as she took the Russian's arm.  James smiled looking at the pair as they left the office.  Q Branch watched wide eyed as James took Q’s other side placing his arm around the woman’s shoulder as they left the branch.

 

OO6*OO7*OO10* OO6*OO7*OO10* OO6*OO7*OO10* OO6*OO7*OO10* OO6*OO7*

 

“Hello, Ms Moneypenny.”  James said with a smile holding the door for his mate.

 

“Not today, James,” the viper said shortly.  “M needs to see you right away and she’s not happy.”

 

James and Alec exchanged a quick look and a frown, but quickly pushed open the door and moved in. M was sitting behind her desk, her eyes narrowed at the pair.  As the door shut behind the pair they heard the distinctive hiss of the anti-surveillance protocols.

 

“Who has your dog tags?”  M asked breaking the silence.

 

“I have one of James’ and he has one of mine.”  Alec said confused.

 

“Who has the other?”  M asked.

 

“Q does,” James said sinking into one of the chairs in front of her desk.

 

M shut her eyes tightly and sighed opening them again to look at the pair again.  “You’re telling me that my Quartermaster has a set of your dog tags.”

 

“Yes,” Alec said leaning against James’ chair.  “We gave them to her right before she left.  What’s going on?”

 

“Two hours ago, there was a distress call sent from your tags.”  M said pulling up some information on the computer.  “Q lost contact last night and hasn’t checked in.  Her tracker is still alerting so we know where she is and the hack that she was sent in to enable has happened, R has all of the information but that’s about it. We can’t contact her at all.   The assumption is that she has been captured.”

 

“What about the agent that you sent with her?  Surely you aren’t stupid enough to let Q go on mission alone?”  James asked leaning forward his tone sharp his eyes flashing gold.  Alec was holding himself tense his eyes gold staring down M.

 

“There was no other agent.” M said and Alec shifted growling at his superior.  James reached forward grabbing his scruff pulling him to heel next to him.

 

“Explain,” James growled.

 

“For God’s sake, she’s a bloody Double O it’s not like I had expected her to need backup,” M said her tone harsh.

 

Alec found himself back on his rump his eyes wide, jaw on the floor.

 

“I don’t think I heard you right.” James said slowly.  “There is no way that the most important intelligence mind in MI6 is sent out as a Double O.”

 

M frowned eyes cold as she stared down the pair.  “This information does not leave this room, but yes Q was OO10 before she was Q and when she was promoted she agreed to do some work as a Double O on an as needed basis.”

 

James and Alec stared at M in shock, Alec recovered first nudging James until he looked down at his mate. _‘This explains a lot and probably is one of the things that she wanted to talk about with us when she gets back.’_  James nodded at Alec and looked back at M.

 

“So, I’m guessing you are planning on sending us after her?”  Bond asked his voice calm but his eyes still cold.

 

“If you two believe that you can keep yourselves under control then yes.”  M said calmly, “OO10 almost never needs back up and she always checks in so this combined with the research into you leads me to believe that she’s been captured.  So, you two are being sent out right away.  R is waiting with your kits.”

 

“Mum,” James said standing and moving toward the door, Alec on his heels.

 

“Boys,” M said as James put his hand on the door handle, causing them to look back.  “Bring her back safe.”  The men nodded and left.

 

OO6*OO7*OO10*OO6*OO7*OO10*OO6*OO7*OO10*OO6*OO7*OO10*OO6*OO7*OO10*

 

The pair of agents stalked into Q Branch the tension obvious in their appearance causing all of the Q Branch minions to scatter around them in a rush to get out of their way.  R looked up when the pair stopped at the desk in front of him.  As the agents looked at the man they could see a certain level of tension there either due to the pair of predators or due to Q being MIA.

 

“OO6, OO7” R said attempting to keep his voice calm. “Your kits.” he said pushing them forward. “Walter personalized, radio, tracker, phone, and plane ticket for you Bond.  Trevelyan, your knives, radio, tracker, phone and plane ticket for you as well.”  The agents took their kits and turned for the door.  

 

They were part way out of Q Branch when R spoke again. “Agents, bring her home safe.”  his tone low enough that the mundanes couldn’t hear it but it did reach the wolves.  They nodded slightly but kept moving out of MI6 to get their future mate back.

**Author's Note:**

> italics are thoughts or mental conversations  
> -text- is a message, text or email  
> OO7*OO6*OO10* is a time or place break
> 
> I think that's everything if I missed something please let me know


End file.
